Pittsburgh synagogue gunman was ‘filled with hatred’

Image source, Getty Images

A gunman who killed 11 worshippers at a Pittsburgh synagogue, in the deadliest antisemitic attack in US history, was “filled with hatred for Jews”, a court has heard in closing arguments.

Robert Bowers, 50, a truck driver, is charged with 63 criminal counts including murder and hate crimes.

His lawyers argued he was delusional rather than motivated by race hate.

If he is convicted, jurors will next decide in a separate phase of the trial if he should be sentenced to death.

The jury began deliberating on Thursday. Mr Bowers’ legal team have not called any witnesses and did not dispute that he carried out the attack.

US Attorney Mary Hahn said in closing arguments that the defendant “hunted” his victims.

“He is filled with hatred for Jews,” she said. “That is what propelled him to act.”

Defence attorney Elisa Long argued instead that Mr Bowers carried out the attack because of hatred of immigrants and a Jewish non-profit group, not because of his hate for Jews.

“Stopping religious study was not his intent or motive,” Long said. She added that he was driven by an “unthinkable, nonsensical, irrational thought” that killing Jews “would attain his goal”.

That distinction is important because under US federal law, in order for the jury to impose the death penalty, the prosecution must prove that Mr Bowers was motivated by race hate or killed to stop people from exercising their religious beliefs.

If convicted, legal experts have said they expect a lengthy penalty phase of up to six weeks while Mr Bowers’ potential execution is debated.

Mr Bowers’ defence team has largely focused on saving him from the death penalty – an aspect of the trial that featured heavily during jury selection.

While they have never suggested an insanity defence, in the penalty phase they are expected to introduce evidence that Mr Bowers suffers from schizophrenia, epilepsy and brain impairments, according to the Associated Press.

The 11 worshippers who died in the attack inside the Tree of Life synagogue on 27 October 2018 ranged in age from 54 to 97.

Seven others were injured, including five police officers who rushed to the scene.

The trial began just over two weeks ago.

On Wednesday, jurors heard testimony from the final witness, one of the survivors.

Andrea Wedner said her right arm was “blown open in two places” and she cried “Mommy” after realising her 97-year-old mother, Rose Mallinger, had been killed.

Ms Wedner told jurors that Sabbath services at the synagogue had just started when she heard a crashing sound and gunfire in the building’s lobby.

“We were filled with terror – it was indescribable. We thought we were going to die,” she said.

She described how she called 911 and was on the phone to emergency services when she and her mother were shot.

As officers entered the chapel, she said, she kissed her fingers and touched them to her dead mother.

Survivors including Ms Wedner were asked if the gunman had kept them from worshipping.

Most families of those killed have voiced support for the death penalty.

Three congregations – Dor Hadash, New Light and the Tree of Life – shared the synagogue.

Also testifying on Wednesday was Pittsburgh Swat Officer Timothy Matson. He described breaking down a door and confronting Mr Bowers before being shot seven times in the head, knee, shin and elbow.

He said he has had 25 surgeries to repair the damage, but that he would storm the door again.

Mr Bowers posted conspiracy theories and antisemitic hate on Gab, a social network with looser moderation rules than mainstream sites, and which is dominated by conservative and far-right users.

He posted praise of Adolf Hitler and Nazis. He also ranted about Jewish billionaire George Soros and accused President Donald Trump of being controlled by Jewish interests.

Just before the shootings he wrote: “Screw your optics, I’m going in.”

The word “optics” was an apparent reference to the idea that extremists should avoid violence and present themselves as reasonable people in order to make their ideas palatable to mainstream audiences.

Earlier in the trial, Gab founder Andrew Torba testified that antisemitic posts were allowed on the site as long as they didn’t contravene US law.

He also said that after the shootings he had contacted police about Mr Bowers’ account and took steps to shut down his access to the site.