More potential jurors interviewed in Pittsburgh synagogue shooting trial
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — The second day of jury selection has wrapped up at the federal courthouse in Pittsburgh in the synagogue shooting trial.
The process of selecting jurors for the trial of Robert Bowers started Monday and is expected to be a long and intensive process.
On Tuesday, 19 potential jurors were interviewed, bringing the total to 35. They started with attorneys' motions to strike jurors interviewed on Monday.
Judge Robert Colville is doing a lot of the talking, trying to get potential jurors to open up. As this happens, the accused is taking notes. He appears engaged and seems to be hanging on potential jurors' every word.
While jury selection resumes Wednesday, the people impacted by this trial will rely heavily on the helpers. Nearly every single day of the week from now until at least July, those impacted by the attack will look at what's happening inside this federal courthouse.
Maggie Feinstein, the director of the 10.27 Healing Partnership, told KDKA-TV's Meghan Schiller the prep work began long ago.
"The Jewish Family Community Services, Jewish Federation, U.S. Attorney's office, and us have been meeting for a year and a half, maybe even 2 years," said Feinstein.
Feinstein explained the 10.27 Healing Partnership has been working to make this daunting court process bearable for the victims and thinking of the little things in advance.
"We've thought about everything from basic needs of transportation, food and water, to making sure that we have mental health support, making sure that we have people who can help out in the courtroom," she said.
Twenty seats inside the courtroom will be reserved each day for the victims and their loved ones. The partnership helped set up a separate private viewing area that is tucked away from the courtroom and the trial's public viewing room. It's just one way to make the cavernous marble space feel more private.
"The federal courthouse doesn't really have a lot of really large rooms is what we've learned through this process," said Feinstein. "And the federal courthouse is also like you said, a place where you walk in and you really have to leave your stuff outside, you don't have your phone, no liquids. There's a lot of things about being in that big, formal space. The halls of justice don't really feel welcoming for everybody."
And she wants everyone who offered to show support at the courthouse to refrain from coming Downtown and instead direct that caring to the three Jewish congregations impacted and our first responders forced to relive that day during testimony.
"The burden on our first responder community is going to be very large during this trial process," Feinstein said. "So a lot of people are 1 degree of separation from a firefighter, police officer, dispatch worker. So caring for them too and offering nurturing and offering food."
If you or someone you know is experiencing mental health effects from the trial, you can go to https://1027healingpartnership.org/ to find resources.
