Pennsylvania Tree of Life synagogue shooter eligible for death penalty, jury finds

A jury in the trial for a Pennsylvania synagogue mass shooter determined that the man is eligible for the death penalty.

Robert Bowers, 50, was found guilty on June 16 of all 63 charges against him for opening fire at the Tree of Life synagogue in 2018. He killed 11 worshipers and wounded six others in the deadliest attack on Jewish people in the United States. The charges include hate crimes resulting in death and obstruction of the free exercise of religion resulting in death.

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Now, the jury in the next stage of the trial will determine whether Bowers serves life in prison or will face the death penalty. The final stage of the trial is set to begin Monday with opening statements, and jurors will hear from family and friends of the victims as they make their decision.

Normally, a death penalty trial is split into two: a guilt phase and a penalty phase. However, the judge granted the defense’s request to split the trial into three parts: a guilt phase (which ended on June 16), an eligibility phase (which ended Thursday), and the sentencing selection phase, which will start Monday.

To prove he was eligible for the death penalty, prosecutors had to offer evidence that Bowers had an intentional mental state when he committed the crimes and show that at least one aggravating factor applied to the mass shooting.

Prosecutors argued the shooting showed extensive planning and demonstrated a clear intent that, in Bowers’s own words, “All Jews had to die.”

The defense had argued that his mental health issues blocked Bowers from being able to form intent. Several doctors had testified that they diagnosed him with schizophrenia and cited his delusional conspiracies about Jewish people.

Jurors deliberated for approximately two hours on Thursday before ruling that Bowers is eligible for the death penalty.

“I am grateful to God for getting us to this day,” Rabbi Jeffrey Myers of the Tree of Life Congregation, who survived the attack, said in a written statement following the verdict in Bowser’s criminal trial. “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.”

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In Pennsylvania, the method for the death penalty is lethal injection. Since 1976, the state has executed three people, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.

Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-PA) said in February that he would not issue any execution warrants during his term.