Seeking Justice: Guilty Verdict in Tree of Life Shooting
Posted by Not In Our Town
After only one day of deliberation, a jury in a federal court in Pittsburgh, PA found the man charged with killing eleven people in the deadliest attack on the Jewish community in U.S. history, guilty on all 63 charges including hate crimes. Six other people were wounded in the attack on three congregations at Tree of Life synagogue on October 27, 2018. The swift verdict was not surprising.The defense attorney for the perpetrator admitted that he planned and executed the massacre at the synagogue. The defense presented arguments about the motivation for the crime, and is seeking to avoid the death penalty. The sentencing phase of the trial, including testimony from the victims’ families, is expected to last six weeks.
The penalty phase of the trial for the man who perpetrated this massacre may be even more traumatizing for the families and survivors. (See below for links to updates on the trial)
Below are excerpts and links to further coverage of the trial by the The Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle
Witnesses Testify
Andrea Wedner and her husband Ron Wedner (Photo by Toby Tabachnick) who are featured prominently in the new film: Repairing the World: Stories from a Tree of Life
Witnesses gave testimony in the early days of the trial including survivors Rabbi Jonathan Perlman, Steve Weiss, and Audrey Glickman who hid in the building during the attack.
Read more about their testimonies here
Andrea Wedner, who was the last witness for the prosecution, gave testimony recounting the harrowing moment she witnessed her 97-year-old mother, Rose Mallinger, losing her life after being shot by the gunman, and spoke about her own injuries and what happened that day.
First Responders: Testimony from Law Enforcement
SWAT Officers on October 27, 2018 bravely entered the Tree of Life Synagogue as the shooter roamed the building with an assault rifle. Four officers were wounded that day. In the days following the attack, police and SWAT officers were commended for their courage by the community for entering into an active shooter environment. Over the course of the trial, many of them gave testimony on what they experienced.
SWAT officer Anthony Burke was shot in the right hand, he asked his fellow officer to put a pistol in his other hand. “Burke described heading up the stairway in the Tree of Life building and hearing gunfire erupt — “rapid, multiple shots” coming from a “pitch-black” classroom — and his colleague and mentor Officer Timothy Matson “screaming in pain.” Matson had been shot in his legs.” Toby Tabachnik Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle.
Read more SWAT Officer Testimony:
Day 8 of trial: SWAT officer testimony, DNA evidence and cell phone data
At synagogue trial, SWAT team recounts shootout
SWAT officer describes shootout with attacker in synagogue massacre trial
Online Posts of the Perpetrator- Hate Online
On the 10th day of the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting trial, the prosecution focused on the accused's antisemitic social media activity. An FBI tactical analyst revealed that the accused frequently posted and engaged with antisemitic content, with the word “Jew” appearing on one of his feeds 152 times. His posts also included references to the Holocaust, Nazis, and blamed Jews for various societal issues. The prosecution used this data to support federal hate crime charges, demonstrating the accused's motive through his relentless antisemitic posting.
Read more about day 10 of the trial here
Day 10 of synagogue shooting trial details shooter’s Gab posts | The Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle
In the next phase of the trial, the jury will hear testimony to determine sentencing for the perpetrator. The jury will first determine if the perpetrator is eligible for the death penalty. The six weeks of the penalty phase may be one of the most challenging parts of the trial as families, survivors, and the community give testimony on the consequences of the massacre.
Judge Rules to Allow Victim Impact Statements from Families
In the trial concerning the Pittsburgh synagogue massacre, U.S. District Judge Robert Colville denied the defense's request for a hearing to limit victim impact statements during the penalty phase. The judge asserted that he will evaluate the impact statements to ensure they comply with the law, and will permit testimonies from the victims’ families and friends, as well as on the impact of the attack on the religious community, but will not allow witnesses to share their opinions on the crime or the appropriate sentence.
Learn more about the Judge’s ruling here:
Judge rejects defense request for hearing on victim impact statements in synagogue shooting trial
Family members and victims of the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting board a bus after court concludes on June 8. (Photo by Toby Tabachnick)
Faith Leaders Step Up: Listening and Healing During Trial
Rabbi Moishe Mayir Vogel has worked with chaplains for more than 30 years. Photo by Eliron Shkeidi
During the trial, representatives from the 10.27 Healing Partnership and Jewish Family and Community Services recognized the need for chaplains to support those affected by the shooting. Trained chaplains, including Rabbi Naomi Kalish and Rabbi Moishe Mayir Vogel, are rotating through the federal courthouse and are also available via phone to offer a listening ear and help people process their emotions. The chaplains are not meant to replace local clergy, but rather to provide an additional layer of support, especially since many local clergy are personally connected to the tragedy.
“A chaplain doesn’t preach or teach. A chaplain listens to people give expression to what they’re actually thinking or feeling. Part of the care that we give is helping people sort that out, then think through that and hopefully heal from some of that pain.” - Rabbi Naomi Kalish
"It’s about offering support, and offering an ear, so people can move forward.” - Rabbi Moishe Mayir Vogel