Pittsburgh shooting suspect pleads not guilty to 19 new counts
Robert Bowers, the man prosecutors say carried out the mass shooting at Pittsburgh's Tree of Life synagogue that left 11 people dead in October, has pleaded not guilty to 19 new charges.
Bowers in November had already pleaded not guilty to 44 counts in connection with the shooting, which also wounded seven people, per BBC News. But in January, a federal grand jury indicted Bowers on additional counts, which included 11 hate crime charges, as reported by The Daily Beast. Bowers pleaded not guilty to these charges Monday.
During the shooting, which has been described as the deadliest anti-Semitic attack in U.S. history, Bowers allegedly yelled at police that he wanted "all Jews to die," ABC News reports. The shooting was carried out during Shabbat services at the synagogue.
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USA Today writes that federal prosecutors have not yet decided whether they will seek the death penalty for Bowers. But Bowers' attorney, Judy Clarke, said she wanted the case to not go to trial, suggesting a plea deal might be possible, The Associated Press reports.
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Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.