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Pittsburgh synagogue shooting trial: Jury begins deliberating

Defense lawyers for Robert Bowers said they did not have evidence to present to the jury

Pittsburgh synagogue shooting trial: Jury begins deliberating

Defense lawyers for Robert Bowers said they did not have evidence to present to the jury

BOB. YEAH, THE PROSECUTION HAS BEEN DELIVERING ITS CLOSING STATEMENT IN THIS GUILT PHASE OF THE PITTSBURGH SYNAGOGUE SHOOTING TRIAL. IN THE COURTROOM, THE PROSECUTION BEGAN WITH SHOWING THE JURY IMAGES OF THE INTERIOR OF THE SYNAGOGUE CHAPEL AND PHOTOS OF THE WORSHIPERS WHO WERE GATHERED THERE THAT DAY. PROSECUTOR MARY HAHN THEN SAID THE DEFENDANT TURNED A HOUSE OF WORSHIP INTO A HUNTING GROUND, KILLING 11. THEY NAMED THE WEAPONS THE BOWERS HAD BROUGHT WITH HIM, TELLING JURORS, YOU KNOW, HOW HE HUNTED THE VICTIMS AND SHOT EACH OF THEM WITH HIS HIGH POWERED AR 15 RIFLE. THE PROSECUTION SAID WE KNOW WHY HE DID IT, THAT BOWERS HIMSELF HAD SAID ALL -- NEED TO DIE, THAT HE MADE COLD, CALCULATED CHOICES AND THAT HE HAD PREVIOUSLY USED WHITE SUPREMACIST LANGUAGE AND SYMBOLS ON HIS GAB ACCOUNT THAT SHOWED HIS MOTIVE. HAHN TELLING THE JURY, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THAT’S WHY WE’RE HERE TODAY. THE DEFENDANT CHANGED LIVES FOREVER AND ENDED 11 LIVES. HAHN ALSO TELLING THE JURY, IN OUR COUNTRY, EVERYONE HAS A RIGHT TO WORSHIP AND NO ONE HAS A RIGHT TO ENTER A HOUSE OF WORSHIP AND KILL WORSHIPERS FOR THEIR FAITH. HE NOTED THAT THE DEFENDANT FACES HATE CRIME CHARGES HERE, SAYING THAT HERE IN THIS CASE, THE EVIDENCE OVERWHELMINGLY ESTABLISHES THAT BOWERS KILLED THE VICTIMS BECAUSE THEY WERE JEWISH. HE SAID. BOWERS HIMSELF SAID THAT HE HAD COME TO KILL -- AND THAT HE POSTED ANTI-SEMITIC COMMENTS FOR MONTHS ONLINE. BEFORE THAT, THE ENTERED THE BUILDING AND STARTED HIS RAMPAGE. MAGE THE PROSECUTORS DESCRIBED THE KILLINGS AS BOWERS MOVED THROUGH THE SYNAGOGUE, SHOWING THE JURORS PHOTOS IN LIFE OF THE VICTIM AND INCLUDING WITH THOSE PHOTOS, IMAGES OF THEIR BODIES IN THE SYNAGOGUE DOCUMENTED AT THE CRIME SCENE. THE PROSECUTION PLAYED THE 911 CALL OF BERNICE SIMON, SAYING WRONG ON THAT CALL TREE OF LIFE SYNAGOGUE. WE ARE BEING ATTACKED. MY HUSBAND IS SHOT. YOU COULD HEAR ON THE 911 CALL HER SPEAKING TO HER HUSBAND, SAYING, HOLD ON, HONEY, PLEASE. THE PROSECUTION CONTINUED TO DESCRIBE THE LOCATIONS OF THE VICTIMS AND THE TIMELINE BASED ON THE 911 CALLS, WALKING THEM THROUGH WHAT HAPPENED THAT DAY. SHE DESCRIBED THE NUMBER OF TIMES VICTIMS WERE SHOT, SHOWING PHOTOS OF THEM AND OF THEIR BODIES. AND HAHN TELLING THE JURY, THE DEFENDANT CONTINUED TO LOOK FOR PEOPLE TO KILL. HE WAS STILL HUNTING, DESCRIBING BOWERS WALKING PAST BLOODIED BODIES OF THOSE HE HAD ALREADY SHOT PAST THOSE VICTIMS, LOOKING FOR MORE PEOPLE TO KILL. AGAIN, THE PROSECUTION CONTINUING TO MAKE ITS CASE TO THE JURY. STILL AHEAD OF THAT WILL BE A CLOSING STATEMENT OFFERED BY THE DEFENSE, WHICH HAS NOT DENIED THAT BOWERS WAS THE KILLER HERE. THEIR ATTENTION SEEMS TO BE MORE FOCUSED ON THE PENALTY PHASE THAT IS STILL AHEAD. BUT THEIR OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT CLOSING STATEMENT FOR THIS GUILT PHASE TO THE JURY IS STILL AHEAD. REPORTING LIVE OUTSIDE FEDERAL COURT, DOWNTOWN BO
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Pittsburgh synagogue shooting trial: Jury begins deliberating

Defense lawyers for Robert Bowers said they did not have evidence to present to the jury

Closing arguments have ended in the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting trial. The case is now in the hands of the jury.Editor's note: Some of the testimony described below may be graphic to some readers.The prosecution began by showing the jury images of the interior of the synagogue and photos of the worshippers who were gathered. Prosecutor Mary Hahn said the defendant, Robert Bowers, turned a house of worship into a hunting ground, killing 11.They named the weapons Bowers brought with him, telling jurors, you know how he hunted the victims and shot each of them with his high-powered AR-15 rifle.The prosecution said, "We know why he did it," saying Bowers wrote, "All Jews need to die." He made "cold, calculated choices," and used white supremacist language and symbols on social media site Gab that showed his motive.Hahn told the jury the defendant changed lives forever and ended 11 lives. The prosecution said in the U.S., everyone has a right to worship and no one has the right to enter a house of worship and kill worshippers for their faith.They noted the hate crime charges. Saying here, in this case, the evidence overwhelmingly establishes he killed the victims because they were Jewish.Video above: Why is antisemitism on the rise?The prosecution said Bowers himself said he went to kill Jews and he posted antisemitic comments for months online before that.That he entered the building and started his rampage.The prosecution described the killings as Bowers moved through the synagogue, showing the jurors photos of the victims and including with them the images of their bodies in the synagogue.The prosecution played the 911 call of victim Bernice Simon, saying "Tree of Life synagogue, we're being attacked!" "My husband's shot!" "Sylvan, hold on, please honey, please!"The prosecution continued to describe the locations of the victims and the timeline based on 911 calls.The prosecution described the number of times victims were shot, showing photos of them and of their bloodied bodies.They told the jury that the defendant continued to look for people to kill. "He was still hunting."The prosecution says Bowers walked by the bloodied bodies of his victims, looking for more people to kill.Meanwhile, the final witnesses for this guilt phase of the trial gave powerful testimony. They were two survivors of the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting – a police officer and a congregation member.Andrea Wedner was shot inside the synagogue and survived, while her 97-year-old mother, Rose Mallinger, was shot and killed next to her. The sounds of both of them being shot were captured on Wedner's call to 911.Wedner recounted to jurors that she heard a loud crash from the lobby area, then many rapid gunshots in the hallway.Her mother looked at her and said, "What do we do?" They heard the rabbi say, "Get down." She said they were very frightened and felt in danger.Wedner has a clear memory of seeing the shooter: he was on their side of the chapel, behind the last pew, directly in front of her.She described him as a small white male with light or gray hair and holding a big long gun that he fired again, multiple times.She got her mother onto the floor, head to head, next to her. Wedner said they were trying to hide."We were filled with terror. It was indescribable. We thought we were going to die," she said.Wedner heard congregant Bernice Simon shout out that her husband, Sylvan, was shot in the back. Wedner made a decision to call 911.She testified she's listened to the call and seen the transcript, but she'd asked prosecutors not to play the recording while she's on the witness stand because, on it, she can hear herself and her mother being shot.Wedner said she saw her right arm and right hand blown up in two places when she was shot. She said she had cuts to her face and on her body from shrapnel.She said her mother was also shot and that she knew her mother was not going to survive her wounds.Wedner testified she didn't want to move because she didn't want the shooter to know she was alive.She described that in those moments, she wondered whether she would see her family again and whether she would live or die.She then saw police enter the chapel in fatigues and "knew they were the good guys." The SWAT operators told her to stay down. Then one came around and said to her, "Come with me."Wedner testified she was the only one left alive in the chapel when police entered. She was able to get up under her own power.As SWAT officers and paramedics were about to take her out of the chapel, Wedner said she kissed her fingers, touched them to her mother's skin and cried out, "Mommy."The witness just before Wedner was Pittsburgh police Officer Timothy Matson, a member of the SWAT team who was shot in the head and survived.Matson testified that as he and other officers entered the synagogue, he encountered living and dead victims. He saw an officer evacuating a screaming, wounded victim. He said he now knows, "It was Andrea. "The officer followed the trail of ammunition magazines on his way upstairs inside the synagogue to the room where the shooter had taken up position.He described breaching the door of the room where Bowers was and entering with Officer Michael Saldutte.They found the room was in "total darkness."Something knocked Matson off his feet. For a moment, he thought it was a dog. It was actually the impact of gunfire. Then Saldutte was shot and fell on him.Matson said he realized he was shot in the head. He said to himself, "You're still thinking, do something."The officer testified he made it to the stairs and told another SWAT officer he was shot.He testified he remembers a tactical paramedic telling him to "man up and breathe." As officers and medics moved him, he felt pain.Matson said his next memory is of them putting him on a stretcher to take him out of the synagogue building. He testified he's 6-foot-4, 310 pounds and 365 pounds when wearing his SWAT gear.He said he remembers seeing people while passing them on the stretcher and thought he "must be in bad shape" because of the expressions he saw on their faces.Paramedics put a tourniquet on his leg. He testified it "hurt worse than being shot."Matson testified he had "seven holes" on his body from being shot. One bullet fractured his skull and upper jaw. He detailed the fractures and damage and numerous operations since then. His 25th surgery was last year.The officer testified he's had some memory loss. It was two years before he could return to work, and because of his 25 surgeries, he's been off and on duty.Asked by the prosecution if he would still make the decision to be the first through the door that day, Matson said yes, he'd "go through any door for (his) team at any time."There were no questions for Matson from the defense, which told him, "Thank you for your service."After Wedner left the courtroom following her testimony, the prosecution played the recording of her nearly nine-minute-long 911 call.On it, you can hear Wedner speaking in whispers to the 911 call taker, who assures her that police are responding at the scene.Then on the recording, you can hear Wedner cry out in pain and horror as she and her mother are shot.After the recording was entered into evidence, the prosecution rested. The defense called no witnesses and rested as well.Earlier Wednesday, two FBI witnesses testified.FBI computer expert Peter Hammer from Quantico testified to how Bowers had rigged his home computer to erase all of its data 200 minutes after he set a countdown when he left for the synagogue attack.FBI special agent Brian Collins presented a detailed minute-by-minute timeline of Bowers' actions that day, starting with his website visits, to setting up his computer, to entering the synagogue, killing 11 people and injuring others.The timeline was created using police body cam video, responder radio communications, and 911 recordings.With the jury sent home for the afternoon, the judge, prosecution, and defense sorted through differences over the language of instructions the judge will give the jury Thursday.With the defense not disputing that Bowers was the killer, it's not clear how long it will take the jury to deliberate the many counts against Bowers. If they find him guilty, the second phase of the trial — on whether the defendant should get the death sentence — is still ahead."The focus seems to have always been on the penalty phase of this case," said Bruce Antkowiak, St. Vincent College law professor, when asked by Pittsburgh's Action News 4 about the defense team's decision to rest its case without calling any witnesses to the stand.Antkowiak, who is not associated with the case but has been following it closely, said he expects the defense to introduce evidence and question witnesses during the penalty phase, when Bowers' lawyers will try to argue their client should not receive the death penalty."The defense does not want to make much of a contest about the issue of guilt," Antkowiak explained. "That could truly alienate the jury, because the jury has seen and heard graphic evidence about what happened."Antkowiak said the evidence that the defense will most likely introduce includes background information about Bowers' life and upbringing. His lawyers had previously contended in court filings that Bowers has schizophrenia, for example."Where it really will become the great battleground will be when the defense is able to offer evidence in mitigation," Antkowiak said. "And that will be psychiatric testimony, medical testimony, records of the man's history. They have had a long period of time to develop this."

Closing arguments have ended in the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting trial. The case is now in the hands of the jury.

Editor's note: Some of the testimony described below may be graphic to some readers.

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The prosecution began by showing the jury images of the interior of the synagogue and photos of the worshippers who were gathered. Prosecutor Mary Hahn said the defendant, Robert Bowers, turned a house of worship into a hunting ground, killing 11.

They named the weapons Bowers brought with him, telling jurors, you know how he hunted the victims and shot each of them with his high-powered AR-15 rifle.

The prosecution said, "We know why he did it," saying Bowers wrote, "All Jews need to die." He made "cold, calculated choices," and used white supremacist language and symbols on social media site Gab that showed his motive.

Hahn told the jury the defendant changed lives forever and ended 11 lives. The prosecution said in the U.S., everyone has a right to worship and no one has the right to enter a house of worship and kill worshippers for their faith.

They noted the hate crime charges. Saying here, in this case, the evidence overwhelmingly establishes he killed the victims because they were Jewish.

Video above: Why is antisemitism on the rise?

The prosecution said Bowers himself said he went to kill Jews and he posted antisemitic comments for months online before that.

That he entered the building and started his rampage.

The prosecution described the killings as Bowers moved through the synagogue, showing the jurors photos of the victims and including with them the images of their bodies in the synagogue.

The prosecution played the 911 call of victim Bernice Simon, saying "Tree of Life synagogue, we're being attacked!" "My husband's shot!" "Sylvan, hold on, please honey, please!"

The prosecution continued to describe the locations of the victims and the timeline based on 911 calls.

The prosecution described the number of times victims were shot, showing photos of them and of their bloodied bodies.

They told the jury that the defendant continued to look for people to kill. "He was still hunting."

The prosecution says Bowers walked by the bloodied bodies of his victims, looking for more people to kill.

Meanwhile, the final witnesses for this guilt phase of the trial gave powerful testimony. They were two survivors of the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting – a police officer and a congregation member.

Andrea Wedner was shot inside the synagogue and survived, while her 97-year-old mother, Rose Mallinger, was shot and killed next to her. The sounds of both of them being shot were captured on Wedner's call to 911.

Wedner recounted to jurors that she heard a loud crash from the lobby area, then many rapid gunshots in the hallway.

Her mother looked at her and said, "What do we do?" They heard the rabbi say, "Get down." She said they were very frightened and felt in danger.

Wedner has a clear memory of seeing the shooter: he was on their side of the chapel, behind the last pew, directly in front of her.

She described him as a small white male with light or gray hair and holding a big long gun that he fired again, multiple times.

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She got her mother onto the floor, head to head, next to her. Wedner said they were trying to hide.

"We were filled with terror. It was indescribable. We thought we were going to die," she said.

Wedner heard congregant Bernice Simon shout out that her husband, Sylvan, was shot in the back. Wedner made a decision to call 911.

She testified she's listened to the call and seen the transcript, but she'd asked prosecutors not to play the recording while she's on the witness stand because, on it, she can hear herself and her mother being shot.

Wedner said she saw her right arm and right hand blown up in two places when she was shot. She said she had cuts to her face and on her body from shrapnel.

She said her mother was also shot and that she knew her mother was not going to survive her wounds.

Wedner testified she didn't want to move because she didn't want the shooter to know she was alive.

She described that in those moments, she wondered whether she would see her family again and whether she would live or die.

She then saw police enter the chapel in fatigues and "knew they were the good guys." The SWAT operators told her to stay down. Then one came around and said to her, "Come with me."

Wedner testified she was the only one left alive in the chapel when police entered. She was able to get up under her own power.

As SWAT officers and paramedics were about to take her out of the chapel, Wedner said she kissed her fingers, touched them to her mother's skin and cried out, "Mommy."

The witness just before Wedner was Pittsburgh police Officer Timothy Matson, a member of the SWAT team who was shot in the head and survived.

Matson testified that as he and other officers entered the synagogue, he encountered living and dead victims. He saw an officer evacuating a screaming, wounded victim. He said he now knows, "It was Andrea. "

The officer followed the trail of ammunition magazines on his way upstairs inside the synagogue to the room where the shooter had taken up position.

He described breaching the door of the room where Bowers was and entering with Officer Michael Saldutte.

This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

They found the room was in "total darkness."

Something knocked Matson off his feet. For a moment, he thought it was a dog. It was actually the impact of gunfire. Then Saldutte was shot and fell on him.

Matson said he realized he was shot in the head. He said to himself, "You're still thinking, do something."

The officer testified he made it to the stairs and told another SWAT officer he was shot.

He testified he remembers a tactical paramedic telling him to "man up and breathe." As officers and medics moved him, he felt pain.

Matson said his next memory is of them putting him on a stretcher to take him out of the synagogue building. He testified he's 6-foot-4, 310 pounds and 365 pounds when wearing his SWAT gear.

He said he remembers seeing people while passing them on the stretcher and thought he "must be in bad shape" because of the expressions he saw on their faces.

Paramedics put a tourniquet on his leg. He testified it "hurt worse than being shot."

Matson testified he had "seven holes" on his body from being shot. One bullet fractured his skull and upper jaw. He detailed the fractures and damage and numerous operations since then. His 25th surgery was last year.

The officer testified he's had some memory loss. It was two years before he could return to work, and because of his 25 surgeries, he's been off and on duty.

Asked by the prosecution if he would still make the decision to be the first through the door that day, Matson said yes, he'd "go through any door for (his) team at any time."

There were no questions for Matson from the defense, which told him, "Thank you for your service."

After Wedner left the courtroom following her testimony, the prosecution played the recording of her nearly nine-minute-long 911 call.

On it, you can hear Wedner speaking in whispers to the 911 call taker, who assures her that police are responding at the scene.

Then on the recording, you can hear Wedner cry out in pain and horror as she and her mother are shot.

After the recording was entered into evidence, the prosecution rested. The defense called no witnesses and rested as well.

Earlier Wednesday, two FBI witnesses testified.

FBI computer expert Peter Hammer from Quantico testified to how Bowers had rigged his home computer to erase all of its data 200 minutes after he set a countdown when he left for the synagogue attack.

FBI special agent Brian Collins presented a detailed minute-by-minute timeline of Bowers' actions that day, starting with his website visits, to setting up his computer, to entering the synagogue, killing 11 people and injuring others.

The timeline was created using police body cam video, responder radio communications, and 911 recordings.

With the jury sent home for the afternoon, the judge, prosecution, and defense sorted through differences over the language of instructions the judge will give the jury Thursday.

With the defense not disputing that Bowers was the killer, it's not clear how long it will take the jury to deliberate the many counts against Bowers. If they find him guilty, the second phase of the trial — on whether the defendant should get the death sentence — is still ahead.

"The focus seems to have always been on the penalty phase of this case," said Bruce Antkowiak, St. Vincent College law professor, when asked by Pittsburgh's Action News 4 about the defense team's decision to rest its case without calling any witnesses to the stand.

Antkowiak, who is not associated with the case but has been following it closely, said he expects the defense to introduce evidence and question witnesses during the penalty phase, when Bowers' lawyers will try to argue their client should not receive the death penalty.

"The defense does not want to make much of a contest about the issue of guilt," Antkowiak explained. "That could truly alienate the jury, because the jury has seen and heard graphic evidence about what happened."

Antkowiak said the evidence that the defense will most likely introduce includes background information about Bowers' life and upbringing. His lawyers had previously contended in court filings that Bowers has schizophrenia, for example.

"Where it really will become the great battleground will be when the defense is able to offer evidence in mitigation," Antkowiak said. "And that will be psychiatric testimony, medical testimony, records of the man's history. They have had a long period of time to develop this."