Synagogue suspect pleads not guilty

PROSECUTORS SEEK DEATH PENALTY

THE man 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 yesterday, 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.

US federal prosecutors have previously indicated they plan to seek the death penalty.

It was his second brief appearance in a federal courtroom since the weekend massacre at Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill neighbourhood.

Authorities say the 46-year-old lorry driver raged against Jews during and after the rampage, which was the deadliest attack on Jewish people in American history.

Six people were wounded in the attack, including four police officers, two of whom remained in hospital with gunshot wounds.

A police officer and a congregant remain in intensive care but “are doing much better now,” Dr Donald Yealy, chairman of emergency medicine at UPMC, said on Wednesday.

Funerals for the victims are being held all week.

On Tuesday afternoon, after the day’s funerals were over, Donald Trump arrived in Pittsburgh to shouting protesters with slogans such as “It’s your fault”.