Newsletter
Newsletter Support JNS

Suspect in synagogue shooting pleads not guilty

If convicted, Robert Bowers could face the death penalty.

Robert Bowers
Mug shot of Robert Bowers, the suspect behind the shooting of 11 Jewish worshippers at Tree of Life*Or L’Simcha Synagogue in Pittsburgh on Oct. 27, 2018. Credit: Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

The suspect who killed 11 people at the Tree of Life*Or L’Simcha Synagogue on Saturday pleaded not guilty on Thursday to a 44-count indictment, which was issued against him the previous day.

“Yes!” shouted Robert Bowers, 46, when asked if he understood the charges.

Although the alleged gunman was set for a preliminary hearing on the evidence, federal prosecutors instead took the case to a grand jury.

If convicted, Bowers could face the death penalty.

This development comes as three more of the victims will be laid to rest on Thursday: Richard Gottfried, 65, Sylvan Simon, 86, and Bernice Simon, 84.

A new poll suggests that the former New York City comptroller holds a commanding lead over incumbent, Rep. Dan Goldman, in the Democratic primary in NY-10.
“This is what happens when antisemitism spreads, like wildfire, and it’s not checked by responsible people in the middle and on the left and on the right,” Ron Halber, of the local JCRC, told JNS.
“These Hezbollah-aligned officials include individuals embedded across Lebanon’s parliament, military and security sectors,” the U.S. Treasury Department said.
Yechiel Leiter said May Golan’s comments denigrating Reform Judaism are “disgusting and reprehensible.”
“We feel that Israeli athletes are doing much more than sports,” Yael Arad, Israel’s first Olympian to medal and president of its Olympic Committee, told JNS.
Federal prosecutors say the suspect, accused of working for Iran’s IRGC, gathered intelligence on Jewish and pro-Israel targets in Berlin in preparation for murder and arson attacks.