Synagogue suspect pleads not guilty

PITTSBURGH — The man charged in the Oct. 27 Pittsburgh synagogue massacre pleaded not guilty to hate crimes and dozens of other counts Monday, but his new lawyer — a prominent death-penalty litigator — signaled the suspect might be open to a plea deal.

Robert Bowers, a truck driver who authorities say gunned down 11 people at Tree of Life Synagogue, appeared in federal court with attorney Judy Clarke, who expressed hope the case will be resolved Bowers without a trial. Bowers, who was shackled, said little, giving yes or no answers.

Clarke is known for negotiating plea deals that helped some of the nation’s most infamous killers avoid death row, including Unabomber Ted Kaczynski, Atlanta Olympics bomber Eric Rudolph and Arizona shooter Jared Lee Loughner, who killed six people and injured 13 others, including U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. A jury did sentence Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, whom Clarke represented, to death.

Bowers, 46, of Baldwin, Pennsylvania, is facing 63 counts in the attack targeting worshippers from three Jewish congregations during Saturday Sabbath services.