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Edited by: Fern Sidman
A truck driver who spewed hatred of Jews was convicted Friday of barging into a Pittsburgh synagogue and shooting everyone he could find, killing 11 congregants in an act of anti-Semitic terror for which he could be sentenced to die, as was reported by the Associated Press.
The guilty verdict was a foregone conclusion after Robert Bowers’ own lawyers conceded at the trial’s outset that he attacked and killed worshippers at the Tree of Life synagogue on Oct. 27, 2018, in the deadliest attack on Jews in U.S. history. The AP also reported that jurors must now decide whether the 50-year-old should be sent to death row or sentenced to life in prison without parole as the federal trial shifts to a penalty phase expected to last several weeks.
Bowers was convicted of all 63 criminal counts he faced, including hate crimes resulting in death and obstruction of the free exercise of religion resulting in death. The AP reported that his attorneys had offered a guilty plea in return for a life sentence, but prosecutors refused, opting instead to take the case to trial and pursue the death penalty. Most of the victims’ families expressed support for the decision.
The jury deliberated about five hours over two days before reaching a verdict. Bowers, wearing a dark sweater and blue shirt, had little reaction, as has often been the case throughout the trial. The AP reported that several survivors and relatives of the deceased victims’ were in the courtroom, bearing quiet witness. A few sniffles were heard in the gallery as the judge intoned “guilty” dozens of times.
Bowers turned a sacred house of worship into a “hunting ground,” targeting his victims because of their religion, a prosecutor told jurors on Thursday. Reading the names of each of the 11 victims he killed, prosecutor Mary Hahn asked the jury to “hold this defendant accountable … and hold him accountable for those who cannot testify, ” as was reported by the AP.
Bowers, who was armed with an AR-15 rifle and other weapons, also shot and wounded seven, including five responding police officers.
Prosecutors presented evidence of his deep-seated animosity toward Jews and immigrants. The AP reported that over 11 days of testimony, jurors learned that Bowers had extensively posted, shared or liked anti-Semitic and white supremacist content on Gab, a social media platform popular with the far right, and praised Hitler and the Holocaust. Bowers told police that “all these Jews need to die,” Hahn said.
Survivors testified about the terror they felt that day, including a woman who recounted how she was shot in the arm and then realized her 97-year-old-mother had been shot and killed right next to her, according to the AP report. Andrea Wedner, the trial’s last witness, told jurors she touched her mother’s lifeless body and cried out, “Mommy,” before SWAT officers led her to safety.
With Bowers’ guilt established, survivors and family members of the deceased victims are expected to tell the jury about the devastating impact of his crimes. The AP reported that the penalty phase is scheduled to start June 26.
Bowers’ attorneys did not mount a defense at the guilt stage of the trial, signaling they will focus their efforts on trying to save his life. The AP reported that they plan to introduce evidence that Bowers has schizophrenia, epilepsy and brain impairments. Defense lawyer Judy Clarke had also sought to raise questions about Bowers’ motive, suggesting to jurors that his rampage was not motivated by religious hatred but his delusional belief that Jews were committing genocide by helping refugees settle in the United States.
The three congregations that shared the synagogue building — Dor Hadash, New Light and Tree of Life — have spoken out against anti-Semitism and other forms of bigotry since the attack, according to the AP report. The Tree of Life congregation also is working on a plan to overhaul the synagogue building — which still stands but has been closed since the shootings — by creating a complex that would house a sanctuary, museum, memorial and center for fighting anti-Semitism.
The trial took place three years after President Joe Biden said during his 2020 campaign that he would work to end capital punishment at the federal level and in states that still use it, as was reported by the AP. His attorney general, Merrick Garland, has temporarily paused executions to review policies and procedures. But federal prosecutors continue to vigorously work to uphold already-issued death sentences and, in some cases, to pursue the death penalty at trial for crimes that are eligible, as in Bowers’ case, the AP report indicated.
Tree of Life congregational leaders and those from the national institution dedicated to uprooting anti-Semitism that grew out of the aftermath of the attack thanked Justice Department lawyers and the jurors following the Friday guilty verdict.
Rabbi Jeffrey Myers of the Tree of Life Congregation who survived the attack, praised God and thanked law enforcement and the U.S. attorneys who led the prosecution: “I am grateful to God for getting us to this day. And I am thankful for the law enforcement who ran into danger to rescue me, and the U.S. Attorney who stood up in court to defend my right to pray. Today I’m focused on being with my congregation and praying, singing and clapping in praise of God as we do each Shabbat. In the face of the horror of our community has experienced, I can think of no better response than practicing my Jewish faith and leading worship.”
Carole Zawatsky, CEO of Tree of Life, offered words of support for survivors and the families of the victims: “While the verdict will not bring back your loved ones who were so violently killed, my hope is that today provides some level of comfort and helps to ease the pain, even if ever so slightly. May their memories always be for a blessing. Let us, this day, reaffirm our resolve to bring light into our world and keep the memory of each of the victims in our hearts as we do the work of Tikkun HaOlam, repairing our broken world.”
Echoing the late Fred Rogers, Alan Hausman, president of the Tree of Life Congregation, one of the three congregations impacted by the shooting, said: “I am thankful for everyone who got us to this day. Every day for the past four and a half years, I’ve tried to look for the helpers: the public safety department and law enforcement officers, the attorneys, our fellow Pittsburgers who have continued to offer their care and support day in and day out. The way our community and people of all faiths came together after October 27, 2018, has helped me and continues to inspire me and give me strength as we move forward.”
Michael Bernstein, chair of the Tree of Life Interim Governance Committee, characterized today as the start of a new, hopeful chapter for the community: “Our community has been waiting a long time for this day. We are grateful to the Justice Department and the jury for their work to get us to a verdict. Today is a reminder that we live in a nation where vulnerable communities can be confident that those who engage in hate-fueled violence will be held accountable. It also marks the start of a new chapter for our community as we continue to heal and move forward as work to build a world in which hate no longer impacts any community. As the legal process continues, our energies will lie in building a better future for all as a part of the collaborative movement across communities and generations to uproot anti-Semitism and identity-based hate in all its forms.”
Also weighing in with a statement in the aftermath of the conviction was Amb. Ronald S. Lauder, president of the World Jewish Congress. In a statement released to the media, he said, “The Pittsburgh jury’s conviction of the Tree of Life Synagogue shooter on all 63 charges against him, including 11 counts of hate crimes resulting in death, is a vindication of the American system of justice. It is also an unmistakable reminder of Jew hatred and racial bigotry left unchecked.
“Society cannot remain complacent and only care about the lives of Jews after an atrocity has been committed. We call on all federal, state, and municipal law enforcement agencies to take all necessary measures to protect synagogues and other Jewish institutions across the United States from any similar tragedy.
“In the memory of those lives lost, may a dark day never be repeated.”
The JCC of Greater Pittsburgh said in a statement in the aftermath of Bowers’ conviction that they “stand with the families, witnesses, and first responder community most directly impacted by the deadly synagogue shooting over 4 ½ years ago – many of whom provided direct testimony over the past several weeks.
We thank the staff from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their rigorous prosecution and the members of the jury who are fulfilling their civic duty.
We acknowledge that today’s verdict is just the first phase of this lengthy trial, as we now begin the penalty phase that will continue through the summer.
We also recognize that the impact of this shooting extends far beyond those most directly impacted within American society and the Jewish people. We especially thank the citizenry of the greater Pittsburgh region for standing with the Jewish community since October 27, 2018 and supporting our communal efforts towards healing and resiliency.
We are mindful that while the impact of this event has far reaching implications on a national and global stage, it will forever remain a deeply personal and lasting experience in our neighborhood. May the memories of the 11 individuals taken from us that day forever be for a blessing.”
Also issuing a statement on the conviction was the American Jewish Committee. They said, “Justice has been served. We realize it does little to ease the pain for the families and friends of the 11 people murdered at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh simply for being Jewish and practicing their faith. However, we hope this verdict allows them to continue the slow process of healing if not closure. The memories of those taken will always be a blessing. Countering the anti-Semitic hate that invaded their sacred and joyous space must be the job for all of society, not just the Jewish community.”
