Synagogue Shooting Suspect Pleads Not Guilty To Federal Murder, Hate Crimes

[DonViejo]

Source: Talking Points Memo/The AP



By Associated Press
November 1, 2018 10:21 am

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The anti-Semitic truck driver accused of gunning down 11 people at a Pittsburgh synagogue has pleaded not guilty to federal charges that could put him on death row.

Robert Bowers was arraigned Thursday, one day after a grand jury issued a 44-count indictment that charges him with murder, hate crimes, obstructing the practice of religion and other crimes. It was his second brief appearance in a federal courtroom since the weekend massacre at Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill neighborhood.

Authorities say the 46-year-old Bowers raged against Jews during and after the rampage. It was the deadliest attack on Jews in American history.

Funerals for the victims are being held all week.

###

Read more: https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/pittsburgh-synagogue-shooting-suspect-pleads-not-guilty

[FreepFryer]

1. 44 counts of not guilty. Yep. That'll stick. Fry his Nazi ass. (n/t)

[sandensea]

2. He's no doubt holding out for a presidential pardon.

[Aristus]

4. Doesn't he have to be convicted first?

And if he is, doesn't he have to allocute to the crime in order to receive it?

[sandensea]

5. I doubt it matters to Cheeto

If enough knuckle draggers ask for it, he'll come up with some excuse.

I'm exaggerating of course - but not by that much.

[TreasonousBastard]

7. Sometimes, but Ford pardoned Nixon for any crimes he "might" have committed.

[BumRushDaShow]

12. Nope.

Presidents can give out pardons (for any crime) and/or commutations (of any sentences) - no actual convictions needed.

[forgotmylogin]

13. Nixon wasn't convicted.

And didn't they drag the shooter out of the building screaming that he hated Jews?

[Dave Starsky]

18. Murder is a state crime.

There ain't Jack that Trump could do for him even if he gave a shit about this guy, which he doesn't.

[Turbineguy]

3. There are a lot of damaged people out there.

And Trump and Fox News has a message for them.

[frazzled]

6. He wants a chance to spew his vitriol and conspiracy theories at a public trial

He obviously must know he will be convicted on all the counts. So the only reason I can conceive that he wouldn't just plead guilty is that he wants a platform for his anti-Semitic views before he gets convicted. And there will be plenty of receptive listeners, alas.

[TreasonousBastard]

8. I don't know if this guy even knows what he wants, but it's not unusual to plead not guilty...

It's easier to make a deal and plead guilty later. It's not so easy to change a guilty plea.

[forgotmylogin]

14. I don't think they even need to make a deal with him.

I thought I read the had to drag him out of there ranting.

[Soph0571]

10. That was the point I was going to make

Attention seeking Nazi fucker wants attention

[zipplewrath]

16. His lawyers doing

I strongly suspect this is being done on the advice of his lawyer. There can be no plea deal of any sort if he pleads guilty now. They can drag this out literally years without a deal. The government will make SOME deal to get this over quickly. But he'll never get out of jail.

[frazzled]

17. I realize his lawyers would advise that, but I'm talking about HIM

Think about it: many mass murderers kill themselves after committing their act. He did not. Nor did that other neo-Nazi, Dylan Roof—though he did plead guilty to all nine murder charges brought by the State (after already receiving the death penalty on federal charges). It was the federal hate and gun charges he pleaded not guilty to and went to trial, as is the case here. We'll wait until the murder charges are brought against Bowers to see how he pleads.

In the meantime, I still surmise that Bowers wants his face and his message to live on, and the vehicle for that is a trial. Maybe he thinks he can beat the Federal charges of things like "Obstruction of Free Expression of Religious Beliefs Resulting in Death," but I doubt it. And I doubt his lawyers believe it either; yes, it's a stall tactic, but they won't be able to stall for an unduly long time in such a nationally important trial.

[hlthe2b]

9. He's deluded enough to think he can turn the trial into a platform for his hate. I'm betting judge

will be fully prepared for that tactic.

[irisblue]

11. State charges for 11 homicides on hold

Source...http://www.post-gazette.com/news/crime-courts/2018/10/30/Robert-Bowers-synagogue-mass-shooting-Tree-of-Life-dispute-US-marshals-pittsburgh/stories/201810300099

snip..." A day after Allegheny County prosecutors sought a court order to force the U.S. Marshals Service to turn over Robert Bowers for arraignment on 11 counts of criminal homicide, they have instead agreed to put their case on hold until the federal charges have played out."

More at website.

[Racerdog1]

15. Move him

To the West Virginia facility Whitey Bulger was in. Let nature take its course.

[Marcuse]

19. Maybe he'll use the Deplorable Diminished Capacity defense.

“The attorneys for a man convicted in a anti-Muslim hate crime on Monday asked the judge to consider President Trump's campaign rhetoric as a "backdrop" to the case before sentencing.”

https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/413752-attorneys-for-man-convicted-of-hate-crime-point-to-trump

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

20. Gawd told hime to kill those people