US prosecutors will seek the death penalty for Robert Bowers, the man accused of bursting into a Pittsburgh synagogue last year with a semi-automatic rifle and shooting 11 people to death, according to court papers filed on Monday.
Bowers, 46, shouted, “All Jews must die,” as he fired on congregants gathered for a Sabbath service at the Tree of Life synagogue on Oct. 27, authorities said.
Bowers has pleaded not guilty in US District Court in Pittsburgh to a 63-count indictment.
The charges he faces include using a firearm to commit murder and obstruction of free exercise of religious belief resulting in death. Also, he targeted vulnerable people, because some of his victims were elderly, and demonstrated a lack of remorse, federal prosecutors said in court papers.
An attorney for Bowers, death penalty specialist Judith Clarke, did not immediately return a call seeking comment.
The mass shooting followed a rise in the number of hate crimes and the number of hate groups in the United States, according to separate reports from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Southern Poverty Law Center.
Reuters and Algemeiner Staff
{Matzav.com}
The death penalty is NOT an outgrowth of hatred of those who commit murder.
It exists to serve as a deterrent, so that other people will be inspired not to commit murder.
Judaism places great value on human life; but if a person takes someone else’s life, then he has forfeited his own right to live.
Perhaps a law should be passed making organ donation mandatory in case of capital murder.
The murderer took a life, and the state will take his life and organs.
Taking the murderer’s life won’t bring back his victim, but at least his organs will give life to those unfortunates who need them.