Lawyers for accused Tree of Life shooter say he has schizophrenia and epilepsy
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Lawyers defending the man charged in the Tree of Life synagogue shooting say he has schizophrenia and epilepsy.
Prosecutors still want Robert Bowers to have a psychiatric and neuropsychological evaluation. He's accused of opening fire inside the Tree of Life synagogue in Squirrel Hill in 2018, killing 11 worshippers and injuring many others.
Bowers' lawyers also say their request for the Justice Department to take the death penalty off the table was denied.
About 1,500 people living across 24 counties in western Pennsylvania received a summons to appear before the judge and learned earlier this month that they're potential jurors in this long-awaited trial.
Potential jurors learned a few key points, including that Bowers has been charged in a 63-count federal indictment.
They also learned he entered a plea of not guilty and that the government is seeking the death penalty. If convicted, jurors will decide if Bowers faces life in prison without the possibility of parole or death.
Potential jurors who make it past the first step will meet for in-person questioning in late April. Bowers is set to go on trial in May.