A federal jury in Pittsburgh reached its decision Thursday in the penalty phase of the Tree of Life synagogue killer, determining if the convicted murderer should face capital punishment.
The panel would have to be unanimous for death if Robert Gregory Bowers, 50, is to be executed for the Oct. 27, 2018 mass shooting in Pittsburgh.
The shooter opened fire on the congregation in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh more than 4½ years ago in an antisemitic attack that shocked the nation.
The massacre took the lives of Joyce Fienberg, 75; Richard Gottfried, 65; Rose Mallinger, 97; Jerry Rabinowitz, 66; Cecil Rosenthal, 59; David Rosenthal, 54; Bernice Simon, 84; Sylvan Simon, 86; Daniel Stein, 71; Irving Younger, 69; and Melvin Wax, 87.
The defense argued that the shooter is psychotic and has brain abnormalities, leading to his deadly actions that day in Pittsburgh.
But the government maintained the truck driver from nearby Baldwin was a bigot who understood what he was doing the day of the massacre.
He was active on social media, ranting about immigrants, pushing conspiracy theories and threatening Jews.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Marlene Lenthang, Danny Cevallos and Ben Collins contributed.
Source: | This article originally belongs to Nbcnews.com
