Jury finds Robert Bowers guilty on all counts in Pittsburgh synagogue shooting trial
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- A jury found Robert Bowers, the man accused of shooting and killing 11 people at a Pittsburgh synagogue, guilty on all counts.
It took nearly five years, but the judge read the word "guilty" aloud 63 times to a silent courtroom on Friday.
The 63 counts were not just for the 11 worshipers killed inside the synagogue, but the seven injured, the lives changed that day and the act of hate heard around the world.
Relief filled the courtroom. Family members of the victims were squeezing tension balls in their hands, others were smiling at each other and one victim just put her head down and nodded yes to the word she's been waiting a long time to hear.
The verdict took less than 5 hours.
"These quick verdicts usually mean that the jury is unified and that they've already kind of tuned out what the defense is trying to argue," trial consultant Dave Zehner said. "And it's very difficult then to get into the death eligibility phase and convince jurors they should listen to you, and they've completely ignored what you've had to say earlier."
The next phase will begin in one week's time when the jury will now decide if the gunman's eligible for the death penalty.
"It's kind of like a second trial where the prosecution will now explain why it's necessary for him to receive the death penalty, and the defense will argue 'here's the reasons why he should not,'" Zehner said.
The defense could possibly enter mental health evidence and testimony to the gunman's altered state of mind. It's another difficult step the worshipers will need to endure, with the gunman sitting emotionless just feet away.
"I can personally speak about how emotional this was to be in there with so many of the families I've gotten to know from that horrible day in 2018 and to be in the room with the person who committed this heinous, antisemitic crime," said Jeffrey Finkelstein, the president of the Jewish Federation Of Greater Pittsburgh.
It was all on the prosecution these past few weeks to present all the evidence while the defense presented nothing. Now they'll need to convince the jury that the gunman is not eligible to get the death penalty for these crimes.
The full list of counts can be found below.
For counts 1-11, Bowers was found guilty on all counts of "obstruction of the free exercise of religious beliefs."
For counts 12-22, he was found guilty on all counts of "willfully causing bodily injury because of actual or perceived religion."
For counts 23-33, he was found guilty on all counts of "use and discharge of a firearm to murder."
For counts 34 and 35, he was found guilty on all counts of "obstruction or attempted obstruction of the free exercise of religious beliefs."
For counts 36 and 37, he was found guilty on all counts of "willfully causing bodily injury."
For counts 38 and 39, he was found guilty on all counts of "use and discharge of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence."
For counts 40-47, he was found guilty on all counts of "obstruction or attempted obstruction of the free exercise of religious beliefs."
For counts 48-51 he was found guilty on all counts of "obstruction or attempted obstruction of the free exercise of religious beliefs."
Finally, on counts 52-63, he was found guilty on all counts of "use and discharge of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence."
The jury broke on Thursday after just a couple of hours of deliberation.
When they returned this morning, they broke deliberation to ask the judge a question regarding the charge of "intent to kill" and if Bowers needed to know who people were in order to have the intent to kill them.
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.
