Pittsburgh synagogue massacre: Jury reaches verdict in death penalty phase
A federal jury has decided whether convicted Pittsburgh synagogue mass shooter Robert Bowers will be sentenced to death or life in prison.
The verdict is expected to be announced around noon Wednesday.
MORE: Pittsburgh synagogue massacre: Remembering the 11 victims
The verdict came on the second day of deliberations. All 12 jurors must agree to impose the death penalty.
Bowers shot and killed 11 worshippers, including a 97-year-old woman, at the Tree of Life synagogue on Oct. 27, 2018, in the deadliest antisemitic attack in American history.
Bowers had offered to plead guilty if the death penalty was taken off the table, but prosecutors turned him down.
He was convicted in June on all 63 charges against him, including 11 counts of hate crimes resulting in death.
MORE: Pittsburgh Tree of Life synagogue mass shooter found guilty in federal death penalty trial
On July 13, the jury decided Bowers and the crime met the criteria to be eligible for the death penalty.
That led to the final phase of the trial, which included testimony from victims' families.
"My world has fallen apart," Sharyn Stein, wife of 71-year-old victim Daniel Stein, said on the stand, according to Pittsburgh ABC affiliate WTAE. "We were together for 46 years and a part of me is not there now."
Andrea Wedner, whose mother, 97-year-old Rose Mallinger, was shot dead next to her, testified, "I'm haunted by what happened to me and by what I saw and heard that day."
"The hardest part for me is knowing what happened to her and how she died," Wedner said, according to WTAE.
Clinical psychologist Dr. Katherine Porterfield testified in Bowers' defense. She said in a report that the gunman "had multiple, severe, chronic traumatic life events and circumstances that put him at risk for serious mental illness," WTAE reported.
Eric Olshan, U.S. attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania, stressed in his closing argument that Bowers "has no remorse for what he has done."
"He is proud -- proud of what he did," Olshan said, according to WTAE.
Defense attorney Judy Clarke in her closing argument highlighted Bowers' mental illness and "chaotic, unstable and unsafe" childhood, WTAE reported.
"There is no justification for the crimes that he committed," Clarke said, but she asked the jury to sentence him to life in prison.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Disclaimer: The copyright of this article belongs to the original author. Reposting this article is solely for the purpose of information dissemination and does not constitute any investment advice. If there is any infringement, please contact us immediately. We will make corrections or deletions as necessary. Thank you.
