![]() ![]() Seven people were injured in the attack, including five police officers.īowers is charged with 63 criminal counts, including hate crimes resulting in death and obstruction of the free exercise of religion resulting in death. The defense did not call any witnesses or present any evidence after conceding at the trial’s outset that he attacked and killed worshippers at Tree of Life. “And he kept hunting, looking for Jews to kill.” These are people who are practicing their faith,” Olshan said. “These aren’t people engaging in refugee assistance. ![]() Bowers targeted a synagogue in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood, “the center of the Jewish universe” in Pittsburgh, and attacked worshippers in yarmulkes and prayer shawls on the Jewish Sabbath, U.S. Her argument brought a sharp retort from prosecutors. Rather, she said in her closing argument Thursday, that Bowers had the “nonsensical and irrational” belief that he had to attack Jews because of their support for efforts to help immigrants and refugees, people he viewed as invaders. “That is what propelled him to act.”īowers’ attorney, Elisa Long, countered that Bowers was not trying to stop people from worshipping - an element of some of the crimes he is charged with - when he attacked the synagogue. “He is filled with hatred for Jews,” prosecutor Mary Hahn said, noting Bowers had an extensive history of posting antisemitic and white supremacist content online. In closing arguments, a prosecutor told the jury that Bowers targeted his victims because of their religion. The shooter has not asked - and the dead cannot accept.” “Forgiveness requires two components: that it is offered by the person who commits the wrong and is accepted by the person who was wronged. “There can be no forgiveness,” said a statement released by New Light Congregation, one of three Jewish congregations that came under attack in the Tree of Life synagogue on Oct. The government is seeking a death sentence. ![]() Jurors spent about two hours weighing dozens of criminal counts against the 50-year-old before going home for the day.ĭeliberations were set to resume Friday morning. Robert Bowers was motivated by his hatred of Jewish people when he turned a sacred house of worship into a “hunting ground,” a federal prosecutor told the jury before the start of deliberations. PITTSBURGH (AP) - A jury on Thursday began sifting through a mountain of evidence against the truck driver who burst into a Pittsburgh synagogue and killed 11 congregants, a guilty verdict all but assured after the defendant’s own lawyers acknowledged he carried out the nation’s deadliest antisemitic attack. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |