Pittsburgh Jury Gives Synagogue Shooter Death Penalty

After deliberating less than 10 hours, a Pittsburgh jury has decided the gunman who opened fire on a synagogue in October 2018 shall receive the death penalty. The hideous event, where 11 people lost their lives, is considered the deadliest antisemitic attack in American history. https://twitter.com/nytimes/status/1686774140613677058 From the New York Times:

The jury’s decision, which is binding on the judge, was announced Wednesday in the same federal courtroom where the jurors in June convicted the gunman, Robert Bowers, 50, of carrying out the massacre during sabbath services nearly five years ago.

The judge will formally impose the sentence at a hearing on Thursday morning, when families of some victims are expected to address the court.

In a statement, the family of two victims — Rose Mallinger, a 97-year-old member of the Tree of Life congregation who was killed in the attack, and Andrea Wender, her daughter, who was wounded — thanked the jury.

“Although we will never attain closure from the loss of our beloved Rose Mallinger, we now feel a measure of justice has been served,” the statement read.

Read more at the New York Times. During the trial, Bowers argued against the death penalty saying he’d suffered an especially troubled childhood and suffered from various psychiatric issues. https://twitter.com/MSNBC/status/1686775692690702549