Jury selection begins in 2018 Pittsburgh synagogue shooting trial

Jury selection has ended for Day 1 of the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting trial. 

It will resume Tuesday morning. 

Five years after a gunman killed 11 worshippers inside a Pittsburgh synagogue, lawmakers are once again pushing to strengthen the state's hate crimes laws.

As the federal trial gets underway in Downtown Pittsburgh, many of the families impacted by what happened at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Squirrel Hill traveled to Harrisburg to send a message that they will continue to stand against hate and want their laws to do the same.

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As jury selection began, defense attorney Judy Clarke and her team arrived at court Monday morning with one aim in mind. 

There is little question her client is guilty of killing 11 people and injuring four others, but Clarke wants to find jurors who might spare him the death penalty.

The government twice rejected Clarke's offer of a guilty plea in exchange for life in prison for Robert Bowers and so the case is going to trial. On Monday, both her team and the government prosecutors began interviewing prospective jurors, individually drilling down on their feelings about the death penalty. 

U.S. District Judge Robert Colville told the prospective jurors they may be asked to make a "personal, moral judgment" as to whether the defendant should live or die. 

The defendant, dressed in a grey sweater, appeared intently interested in each prospective juror, taking notes and whispering to a defense counselor as each was queried about whether they could potentially impose the death penalty.

One prospective juror said she was "on the fence" about the death penalty but said she believed she could impose it if the evidence compelled her. Another said he was "pro-death penalty." Another prospective juror shed tears, saying: 

"It was a house of worship. It should have been a safe place. I don't know how much more heinous an action could be." 

Upon seeing the defendant she said, "He's a person, not a monster. He's a person and that surprised me." 

After guilt is established in the case, the trial will move to the sentencing phase in which the defense is expected to argue the defendant is schizophrenic with deep-seated psychological problems and should be spared death.

The prosecution will discount that and try to show in detail the defendant knowingly, and willingly, committed a pre-mediated hate crime of unimaginable horror. 

According to law professor Bruce Antkowiak, the government will be looking for jurors most willing to vote for execution.

"That is a heavy burden for a person. And an individual would have to have a certain degree of inner capacity, inner strength if you will, that they would be able, if they made this judgment, to actually impose that penalty on another person. And I think that is the kind of individual the government would be looking for," he said.

"A defense in a case like this is going to need a juror who will be able to keep an open mind," he added.

All it will take is one juror to vote against the death penalty to result in a hung jury, which means the death penalty will not be imposed.

A sketch shows the accused gunman and his defense team, along with the court stenographer and the judge, in discussion as the seventh juror is being questioned before taking a recess.

The interview process is well underway at the federal courthouse.

In this courtroom sketch, the federal judge and Assistant U.S. Attorney Soo C. Song talk with a potential juror for the trial.

The Pittsburgh synagogue shooting trial is not about the guilt or innocence of the defendant as there is little question about who is responsible for the deaths of 11 people and the injury of four others. What is in question is whether he will face the death penalty.

Early Monday morning, defense attorney Judy Clarke arrived at court with her legal team for the beginning of jury selection, which is crucial for both the defense and the prosecution. 

Clarke is looking to avoid the death penalty for her client and the prosecution will argue that the death penalty is merited in this case. Monday they began interviewing prospective jurors about their opinions on the death penalty.

Trial Judge Robert Colville told them, "We are going to be interested in learning your opinions. We are interested in your opinions about life in prison, and we are interested in your opinions about the death penalty ... Simply answer our questions as honestly as you can. The integrity of this process depends on your candor and your truthfulness."

The first prospective juror -- a woman -- told the court she was "on the fence" about the death penalty. "My opinion previously was if it was deserving, it's something that needs to be done. I kind of feel like the circumstance would dictate."

Defendant Robert Bowers sat at the defense table — dressed in a grey sweater — and appeared to be very interested in each prospective juror, taking notes and speaking with defense counsel. Other jurors expressed similar feelings of having an open mind toward the death penalty. 

They are continuing to interview individual jurors. It's a time-consuming process and each side will be able to strike or reject 20 jurors. It's expected to take about three weeks, and it's quite a commitment for these jurors. The trial itself is expected to go on until the end of July.

As jury selection got underway, suspect Robert Bowers was in the courtroom on Monday morning.

This morning, he was seen reading papers one of his lawyers put in front of him. He could face the death penalty should he be found guilty in the case. 

Jury selection began Monday morning in the Tree of Life synagogue shooting trial. Maggie Feinstein, the director of the 10.27 Healing Partnership, issued comments regarding the start of the legal proceedings. 

"As the trial begins, our thoughts are with the families of the eleven people who were taken from us, with the survivors, and with the first responders who risked their lives to protect us. We are grateful to the people working to pursue justice. We stand together against hatred today and every day and we know that the love of our community is stronger than the actions of one person," Feinstein said. 

"We can all take responsibility for caring for each other's mental health during this challenging time. Some people may experience trauma from the trial, and some people who have healed may experience setbacks. All of these feelings are normal, and everyone should feel comfortable seeking mental health resources if they need. If you or someone you know is experiencing mental health effects from the trial, go to 1027healingpartnership.org to find help." 

Jury selection got underway early Monday morning. The process to seat a jury is expected to take three weeks.

The first prospective juror was asked about her opinion of the death penalty.

The jury selection process will begin today. 

Around 1,500 people across 24 counties in Western Pennsylvania received a summons last month to appear at the courthouse.

The accused shooter is charged in a 63-count federal indictment. He has pleaded not guilty in the case.

The trial is expected to last from May through July.