July 13 (Reuters) - A federal jury on Thursday decided that Robert Bowers was eligible for the death penalty for killing 11 worshippers at Pittsburgh's Tree of Life synagogue in 2018, the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S. history, local media reported.
Last month, the jury found Bowers, 50, guilty of dozens of federal hate crimes in the trial at the U.S. District Court in Pittsburgh in western Pennsylvania.
Federal prosecutors had charged Bowers with 63 counts, including 11 counts of obstruction of free exercise of religious beliefs resulting in death.
In the final phase of the sentencing portion of the trial, both prosecutors and defense attorneys will have the chance to make arguments on whether Bowers deserves the death penalty.
In their arguments in support of making Bowers eligible for the death penalty, prosecutors said that he had the necessary intent and premeditation to qualify for the sentence.
Persons:
Robert Bowers, Bowers, Jonathan Allen, Brendan O'Brien, Tim Ahmann, Bill Berkrot
Organizations:
U.S, Court, KDKA, CBS, Thomson
Locations:
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, New York, Chicago