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A federal jury has sentenced Robert Bowers to death for killing 11 people in the deadliest anti-Semitic attack in American history.
The verdict came after two days of deliberations by the jury.
Bowers was convicted of 63 charges against him for the murdering 11 people and wounding six at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in October 2018. The charges included 11 counts of obstructing the exercise of religious beliefs resulting in death.
Bowers offered to plead guilty to avoid the death penalty, but prosecutors rejected the plea deal. During their closing argument, Bowers' lawyers asked the jury to spare his life, citing his mental health issues, which include schizophrenia.
"You've held Rob Bowers accountable. You've convicted him of 63 counts. You've found him eligible for jury sentencing. Now we ask you to choose life and not death," defense attorney Judy Clarke said Monday.
It could take years for Bowers to be executed because of the Department of Justice's moratorium on capital punishment. The moratorium was put in place by Attorney General Merrick Garland in 2021 so the federal government could review the policies and procedures surrounding capital punishment.