Jury reaches verdict on Pittsburgh synagogue shooter’s eligibility for federal death penalty

By PETER SMITH
Associated Press

PITTSBURGH (AP) — A jury has reached a verdict on whether the gunman who killed 11 people at a Pittsburgh synagogue in 2018 is eligible for the death penalty. The government is seeking capital punishment for Robert Bowers, who raged against Jewish people online before storming the Tree of Life synagogue and opening fire in what became the nation’s deadliest antisemitic attack. Prosecutors argued that Bowers had formed the requisite legal intent to kill. Bowers’ lawyers argued that his ability to form intent was impaired by mental illness and a delusional belief that he could stop a genocide of white people by killing Jews. If the jurors decide Bowers is ineligible for the death penalty, he will be sentenced to life.