#Jury moves closer to recommending death penalty for the Tree of Life synagogue killer
PITTSBURGH — A Pennsylvania man who killed 11 people in the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S. history meets the requirements for the death penalty, a federal jury recommended Thursday.
The panel in Pittsburgh reached this finding after two hours of deliberations, weighing the fate of Robert Gregory Bowers, 50, who was convicted last month on all 63 federal charges in the Oct. 27, 2018, massacre at the Tree of Life synagogue.
The government is seeking the death penalty and U.S. District Judge Robert J. Colville would have to impose capital punishment if the panel ultimately recommends death.
The shooting that shocked the nation happened 4 1/2 years ago in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh.
The massacre took the lives of Joyce Fienberg, 75; Richard Gottfried, 65; Rose Mallinger, 97; Jerry Rabinowitz, 66; Cecil Rosenthal, 59; David Rosenthal, 54; Bernice Simon, 84; Sylvan Simon, 86; Daniel Stein, 71; Irving Younger, 69; and Melvin Wax, 87.
The defense argued that the shooter is psychotic and has brain abnormalities, leading to his deadly actions that day in Pittsburgh.
But the government maintained the truck driver from nearby Baldwin was a bigot who understood what he was doing the day of the massacre.
He was active on social media, ranting about immigrants, pushing conspiracy theories and threatening Jews.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Carolina Gonzalez reported from Pittsburgh and David K. Li from New York City.
Marlene Lenthang, Danny Cevallos, Ben Collins and Brittany Kubicko contributed.
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