The third and final phase in the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting trial begins Monday. Jurors will now be tasked with determining whether defendant Robert Bowers will be sentenced to death.
On Thursday, Bowers was deemed eligible for the death penalty.
The same jury previously found Bowers guilty on 63 federal counts, including murder and hate crime charges related to the October 2018 shooting that left 11 Jewish worshipers dead. Of the 63 counts Bowers was charged with, 22 qualify for capital punishment.
This next phase is expected to be more emotional for family members of victims, survivors, and others affected by the attack.
Jurors will hear victim impact testimony as part of the prosecution’s presentation of aggravating factors. Prosecutors will likely point out that the victims were elderly and Bowers' rampage was motivated by religious hatred.
Lawyers for the defense are expected to share mitigating factors intended to persuade jurors to spare Bowers’ life. Their case could include pleas from his relatives as well as additional testimony about his traumatic childhood.
They’ve noted in previous stages that Bowers had a difficult upbringing, including multiple self-harm attempts, hospitalizations and a tumultuous relationship with his mother.
The final phase of the trial is expected to last between two to three weeks. The jury must find unanimously that the aggravating evidence outweighs the mitigating evidence to send Bowers to death row.
If Bowers does not receive the death penalty, he’ll be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
