Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooter Pleads Not Guilty To 19 New Charges

[DonViejo]

Source: Talking Points Memo/The AP



By Ramesh Santanam
February 11, 2019 9:45 am

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The suspect in the Pittsburgh synagogogue massacre pleaded not guilty Monday to a new indictment that added 19 additional counts, but his lawyer expressed hope the case will be resolved without a trial.

Robert Bowers, a truck driver who authorities say gunned down 11 people at Tree of Life Synagogue, appeared in federal court with his new lawyer, prominent death penalty litigator Judy Clarke, who signaled that Bowers might be open to some sort of plea. Clarke’s past clients have included one the Boston Marathon bombers, a 9/11 conspirator and Unabomber Ted Kaczynski. Bowers, who was shackled, said little, giving yes or no answers.

A grand jury on Jan. 29 added 19 counts to the 44 Bowers was already facing. The additional charges include hate crimes violations, obstruction of religious belief and the use of a firearm during crimes of violence.

Bowers, 46, of Baldwin, Pennsylvania, is accused of targeting worshippers from three Jewish congregations when he attacked Saturday, Oct. 27, while Sabbath services were being held.

Read more: https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/pittsburgh-synagogue-shooter-pleads-not-guilty-additional-counts

[marble falls]

1. Sounds like he's trying to get the death penalty off the table as a concession to plead ...

guilty.

[BumRushDaShow]

2. Gov. Wolf has a moratorium on the death penalty (since 2015)

although he did comment on this particular case back in the fall (his death penalty position is still sortof fuzzy) -

Gov. Wolf says Bowers, if convicted, should get maximum penalty allowed

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Oct 31, 2018 8:58 AM

Gov. Tom Wolf has declared a moratorium on signing death warrants, but he said in an interview with KDKA radio on Tuesday that he would agree with whatever punishment accused synagogue gunman Robert Bowers receives if he is convicted.

"When it comes to the murder here, this anti-Semitic violence was a heinous crime and Bowers deserves swift justice. He is being and is indicted by the use of federal statute and he should get the harshest penalty under the law," the governor told KDKA’s John Shumway and Larry Richert.

In 2015, Mr. Wolf issued a moratorium on executions pending the publication of the General Assembly's joint state committee report on capital punishment. The report was published in June. The report found majority support for the death penalty in Pennsylvania, but problems with its administration, including inadequacy of counsel and disproportionate numbers of people with mental illnesses on death row.

Since 1978, six people on Pennsylvania's death row have been exonerated of the crimes for which they were sentenced to death.

https://www.post-gazette.com/news/politics-state/2018/10/31/Wolf-says-suspect-if-convicted-should-get-maximum-penalty-allowed/stories/201810300163

Per this -

Since 1693, the commonwealth has executed 1,043 prisoners, the last of which was Philadelphia torture killer Gary Heidnik in 1999. That execution took place, in large part, because Heidnik gave up his right to appeal.

https://www.pennlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/02/gov_tom_wolf_declares_moratori.html

So the last execution here was 20 years ago and in that case, Heidnik was a sick fuck.

Gary Heidnik - 30th anniversary - https://6abc.com/gary-heidniks-house-of-horrors-30-years-later/3429565 (warning graphic depictions of what he did)

[marble falls]

4. He must be under Federal jurusdiction which still has a death penalty and still uses it ...

from your article, 2nd to last paragraph at the link:

"A spokeswoman for federal prosecutors in Pittsburgh said a decision about whether to pursue the death penalty against Bowers remains under review."

[BumRushDaShow]

5. Okay - since they are charging as "federal"

I expect that this is why his language about "maximum penalty allowed" which assume that it would be whatever the feds decide (e.g., Timothy McVeigh who was executed by the federal government vs by the state of Oklahoma).

[ck4829]

3. "said little"... But he had so much to say on Gab BEFORE the shooting.