Judge imposes death sentence on Pittsburgh synagogue gunman for shooting, killing 11 worshipers
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- A judge imposed the death sentence on Robert Bowers, the gunman convicted of shooting and killing 11 worshipers inside a Pittsburgh synagogue in 2018.
On Wednesday, jurors unanimously agreed upon the sentence of death. U.S. District Judge Robert Colville formally imposed the sentence of death by execution on Thursday after victims gave impact statements.
Even after the emotional testimony of family members and police officers, the gunman had nothing to say. He stood and showed no emotion when the judge imposed the penalty of death.
He never looked up at any of the 22 witnesses who testfied to their pain and loss. Instead, as he has throughout the two-month-long trial, he sat at the defense table, appearing to look busy, head down looking through papers.
"You've never been man enough to look up. I wonder if you're man enough to look at us now?" said Michael Hirt, the brother-in-law of David and Cecil Rosenthal, as he stared across at the gunman, who continued to look down. "I didn't think so," Hirt said.
Over two and a half hours, he never made eye contact with any witness.
Witnesses testify before the sentencing
Twenty-two witnesses testified before the judge on Thursday morning, including survivors, first responders and families of those who were killed.
Their testimony was emotional and gave them the opportunity to face the man that brought them so much pain and suffering.
One after one these witnesses took the stand, beginning with Margaret Durachko, the wife of dentist Richard Gottfried, who addressed Bowers directly.
"Your callous disregard for the person he was repulses me," she said. "Your hateful act took my soulmate away from me and left me all alone. You riddled his body with bullets so you could feel powerful. You think God's power is in bullets, but God's power is in humility, goodness and love. You'll have to stand for yourself as He looks into your heart."
Gottfried's sister, Carol Black, who hid in the closet watching the atrocities unfold, said that she now lives with the guilt of having survived.
"He gets three hots and cots, and my brother is in a box in the ground," she said. "There isn't a punishment great enough for him. He should just sit in a cell the size of the parking lot and wonder if today is the day."
Even Rabbi Doris Dyen, who heads the Dor Hadash Congregation, which opposes the death penalty, said the sentence is appropriate.
"I am in principle opposed to the death penalty but this shooter has challenged my ability to maintain that view. In my opinion, he has forfeited the privilege of living because his actions have shown he doesn't appreciate life," she said.
Bowers shot and killed 97-year-old Rose Mallinger. He also wounded her daughter, Andrea Wedner.
"He tried to kill me...he failed," Wedner said.
Wedner said she lay with her mother for 45 minutes wondering if she would die and never see her husband and daughters again.
She then referenced Officer Daniel Meade who was shot with a career-ending injury and who now calls himself a "worthless piece of (expletive)," but Wedner disagrees.
"He is a hero, the defendant is a worthless piece of (expletive)," she said. "That man is a worthless human being who has ingested hate. This evil person must be completely isolated from the world."
Her brother Alan quoted the Book of Leviticus saying, "One who kills a beast shall make restitution for it but one who kills a person will be put to death."
Marc Simon, the son of Bernice and Sylvan Simon, said that he keeps his father's blood-soaked prayer shawl and his mother's bloodied string of pearls recovered from the scene.
"It haunts me but I can't part with it," he said. "This horrible and purposeful act when he took his high-powered rile and slaughtered my loving mother and father. I beg of you Judge Colville to give him no mercy, the same no mercy he showed to my mother and father and nine other beautiful souls."
- LIVE UPDATES: Reaction from Pittsburgh Jewish community and Pennsylvania leaders
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- NEWS CONFERENCE: 10.27 Healing Partnership
- ANALYSIS: What's next?
Recapping the jury's verdict
During the 37 days of trial, the jury saw picture evidence of the brutal murders of each of the 11 victims shot at close range with an AR-15 rifle.
The deceased victims were Joyce Fienberg, Richard Gottfried, Rose Mallinger, Jerry Rabinowitz, Cecil and David Rosenthal, Daniel Stein, Bernice and Sylvan Simon, Irving Younger, and Melvin Wax. It was the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S. history.
The jury heard the testimony of victims, of police, and of family members who described their immeasurable loss.
In the first phase of the trial in June, Bowers was found guilty of all 63 federal charges he faced. Then in July, the jury determined the convicted gunman was eligible to face the death penalty. And Wednesday, that was the recommendation.
The families of the victims were inside the courtroom as the verdict came in. They fought back tears and comforted each other, while the defendant showed little emotion.
The reaction last night both here in Pittsburgh and even around the country has been one that just has been severed.
Now that the jury has voted to impose the death penalty, the gunman will likely be headed to the United States Penitentiary in Terre Haute, Indiana.
Of the 43 federal prisoners sentenced to death in this country, 42 are being held in Terre Haute without possibility of release, each spending their days alone in a 12-by-7 foot, single-inmate cell, awaiting execution.
10.27 Healing Partnership releases statement
The 10.27 Healing Partnership has released a statement following the conclusion of the trial. They remember the victims and thank the courtroom staff and jury.
It reads in full:
"The families, survivors, witnesses, and community that have been impacted by the Oct. 27th, 2018 mass shooting, including the congregants of Congregation Dor Hadash, New Light Congregation, and Tree of Life Congregation, have waited almost five years for the conclusion of this trial.
"The trial's conclusion is for many a profound and complicated event. There is no one right way to feel. We urge all community members to seek support and to share empathy and kindness with one another. Thank you to all those in court, including staff and jury, who shared the beauty of humanity with us all while in the courthouse, even in the most difficult of times.
"During this time, the voices of those most directly impacted should be highlighted and honored. Due to the nature of the trial, many have been unable to share their own thoughts until this point. Many were finally able to share their stories today during the victim impact statements in court.
"Yesterday, a press conference was held for the voices of families and survivors at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh. This press conference was deeply moving---in the room where these same people waited to hear news of their loved ones on Oct. 27th, they came together to share their voices and their experiences.
"Above all else, we believe that resilient communities listen to those who were directly impacted and uplift their voices. We encourage everyone to listen to the experiences survivors and families shared about their loved ones, about their commitment to Judaism, about their own fears and joys and sorrows, and about how they hope to continue to live their lives. Over this last week, these families and survivors have shown exceptional courage in sharing their stories with the court and with the wider world.
"We urge you to prioritize rest and caring for yourself and your neighbors. The 10.27 Healing Partnership is open from 9am-5pm on weekdays, and our role is to foster healing communities. We stand against hate and antisemitism, and we are here to help and to listen.
Today and every day we remember:
- Joyce Fienberg
- Richard Gottfried
- Rose Mallinger
- Jerry Rabinowitz
- Cecil and David Rosenthal
- Bernice and Sylvan Simon
- Dan Stein
- Irving Younger
- Melvin Wax
May their memories be for a blessing.
Recapping the defense's arguments
In their final push in the penalty phase of the trial, the defense spent their time trying to convince the jury that the convicted gunman should be spared the death penalty because of mental illness.
Witnesses for the defense testified that if the convicted gunman is sentenced to life in prison, it would still be considered a harsh punishment.
Prison expert Maureen Baird testified that if sentenced to life without the possibility of a release, Bowers would likely be sent to the federal supermax prison in Florence, Colorado. It is a facility designed to house inmates who are too highly profiled or present too great a security risk for even a maximum security prison.
In a surprise motion filing last week, the defense requested the remains of the convicted gunman's father be exhumed for DNA testing. The request, which was ultimately denied by Judge Robert Colville, came following the prosecution's raising of doubts that Randall Bowers is the biological father of Robert Bowers
In the final sentencing phase of the trial, the defense presented mental health experts who have testified the gunman genetically inherited the family's history of schizophrenia and should not be sentenced to execution.
Dr. Katherine Porterfield, an expert who testified about mental health issues, was on the stand, detailing the convicted gunman's troubled childhood.
Recapping victim impact statements
The prosecution called family members of the victims to the stand to give victim impact statements. The wife and son of victim Dan Stein took the stand; and then, Michele Rosenthal, the sister of victims David and Cecil Rosenthal, talked about her two younger brothers.
Andrea Wedner summed up the loss she feels as a pain in all the small moments when talking about her mother, Rose Mallinger.
"I'm haunted by what happened to me and by what I saw and what I heard that day," she told the jury.
The jury also heard victim impact statements from Dan Leger, who dropped from 145 pounds on the day of the shooting down to 110 pounds in the hospital. He couldn't even speak, and said he wrote to his wife on a piece of paper "let me go" because he thought he'd never recover from his injuries.
The brother-in-law of Dr. Jerry Rabinowitz took the stand, stating how his brother-in-law just wanted to help people, which is why he got into family medicine, saying that he would even make house calls after hours. He added that many people in the family have changed their professions since the deadly shooting to do things to more directly help people, as Dr. Rabinowitz did.
Michelle Weiss, the daughter of the slain couple Sylvan and Bernice Simon, said she spoke with her mother every day and was asked what life is like without her.
"I lost my best friend, my confidant, lost my most important people in my life in one day," she said. "It's very hard for me to go on. We don't have holidays anymore, nothing is the same."
Anthony Feinberg, the son of Joyce Feinberg, called his mother "the central cog" in his family who has left such a void.
In earlier testimony, Margaret Durachko, the wife of Richard Gottfried, was the first of more than 20 family members to take the stand during this phase of the trial and testified of how her whole life was turned upside down following the mass shooting at the synagogue.
Diane Rosenthal, the sister of Cecil and David Rosenthal, testified that when they were diagnosed early with Fragile X syndrome, her parents insisted they be raised at home with her and her sister Michelle rather than be put in an institution. The boys, she said, were a gift with an infectious joy for life which they spread throughout the neighborhood.
Testifying on videotape, Cecil and David Rosenthal's mother said she thanks God for her sons and couldn't be more proud to be their mother but now they are gone.
Support is available for those in need during the trial
If you or someone you know is experiencing mental health effects from the trial, go to 1027healingpartnership.org to find help resources. As always, call 911 to report threats.
Phone: 412-697-3534
Email: info@1027HealingPartnership.org
Website: 1027healingpartnership.org
More resources can be found here.
