Alleged Tree Of Life Shooter Robert Bowers Defense Team Accuses Prosecution Of 'Dumping' New Evidence
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The legal battle intensified behind the scenes as lawyers on both sides of the Robert Bowers capital case prepare for trial.
Bowers is accused of killing 11 people at Squirrel Hill's Tree of Life Synagogue.
This week, lawyers submitted nine new filings in federal court pertaining to the case. These new documents express the defense team's frustration with the prosecution allegedly "dumping" new evidence on its plate after advising the courtroom it had turned over all of the evidence.
In one motion, Bowers' defense team says it can't properly prepare if the prosecution keeps saying it's turned over all the evidence only to send more evidence soon after.
For example, the case now includes some 407 documents, more than 5,000 pages of images, and 12 hard drives, including cell phones and computers.
Bowers' defense team also wants access to all of the transcripts of investigator interviews, such as conversations with bowers' family members, friends, former coworkers, eye-witnesses, and first responders.
The defense alleges the prosecution heavily redacted those transcripts in an inconsistent manner and in a way that makes them very hard to follow.
They also reiterated that the prosecution must disclose evidence that could be perceived as "favorable" for the defense. Not just for the trial's sake but also for sentencing.
That evidence, according to the defense, could counter the "aggravating factors" that could potentially have led someone on the jury to want to sentence Bowers to death.
