Synagogue Shooting

No trial date set yet for Tree of Life shooting suspect after requests from congregations

A judge said no trial date has been set for Tree of Life shooting suspect Robert Bowers.

The judge said the trial it will not happen during Jewish holidays.

Bowers was in court on Thursday for a status conference. Bowers is accused of killing 11 people in October 2018 at the synagogue in Squirrel Hill.

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The prosecution had suggested starting the trial on Sept. 14, 2020, just days before Rosh Hashanah. They said Thursday that they meant no disrespect and were only trying to expedite the process.

Prosecutors also said that it would likely only involve jury selection during the holiday and that no testimony or evidence would be presented until after Rosh Hashanah.

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Judge Donetta Ambrose said in court that she received letters from two congregations requesting a different start date.

In addition to concerns about the Jewish holiday, one congregation said a trial date in October was too close to the two-year mark of the mass shooting.

"A trial at that time would have been very disruptive to the congregation and its members -- and perhaps to the wider Jewish community as a whole," said Jon Pushinsky, a congregation member of Dor Hadash.

The judge said she didn't want to set a date until after all of the pretrial motions have been resolved. With the presidential election next November, it is likely the trial may not start until December 2020 or even January 2021.