Our team was in Pittsburgh in August as the trial of the killer at the Tree of Life concluded. On a personal level, I will never forget these August days and what we witnessed in the courtroom. I cannot imagine how the families and survivors have been able to endure this journey through the trial. They have shown tremendous courage and expressed their appreciation to the courts and the prosecution for seeking justice for them and their loved ones. We hope that the end of this part of the journey offers some relief. Patrice O'Neill
The families, survivors and community members who experienced the October 2018 massacre at Tree of Life synagogue have been in court for two months, listening to excruciatingly challenging testimony from witnesses recounting the brutal and calculated attack, experts who addressed the killer's motive, and defense witnesses who argued that the killer had a deeply troubled childhood, family and history of mental illness. (Editors note: NIOT does not further publicize the name of the man convicted of the attack.)
It was gut-wrenching to hear the closing statements, as the prosecution shared horrific 911 recordings and photographs of each of the victims in the places they were found in the synagogue that day. The brutality and cold calculation of the killer, his premeditation, and the hundreds of antisemitic posts he made leading up to October 27, 2018 were laid out in a clear narrative that summarized the US Attorney’s argument for the death penalty, the maximum sentence in this case.
The defense team admitted early in the trial that their client was guilty of the attack, but that his sentence should be mitigated because of his mental illness. Conflating mental illness and the ideological convictions of white supremacy and antisemitism, defense experts argued that his hatred of Jews was “delusional,” and that he believed he was protecting people because he believed Jews were advancing the deeds of Satan.
In their closing statement, the prosecution team reminded the jury of the brutality of the attack, of his plan for the attack, his hatred of Jews, and his clear lack of remorse for the massive trauma and harm he caused.
US Attorney Eric Olshan shared the chilling remarks the killer made to one of the defense team psychiatrists. When asked if he regretted the attack, the man who massacred eleven people and wounded six in the synagogue said that he did not regret his actions. “My only regret,” he said, “is that I didn’t kill more Jews.”
After nine hours of deliberation, the jury reached a unanimous decision, sentencing him to death.
Read more about what happened in the courtroom in this story by David Nakamura in the Washington Post (shareable gift article): https://wapo.st/3OE1kqT
Later that day, the families gathered to speak to the media at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh in the same room where five years earlier they were called together by the FBI to hear that their loved ones had been murdered at the synagogue.
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Members of the Mallinger family leaving court last week.
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I watched in awe as the people I grew to know and love shared their views about the verdict and their experiences through the trial. We have known the Mallinger Family for nearly five years, having met them not long after Stanley, Alan and Andrea’s mother, Rose, was killed at the synagogue. It’s hard to say that good things emerged from this horrific event, but so many of us have been inspired by the strength and kindness of this beautiful family. Andrea has been a source of love and light for so many and has used her voice and presence to help others get through this ordeal.
Throughout it all, I have been amazed by the bonds, the humor, and the persistence of the Mallinger family. Alan’s wife, Lauren, and Andrea’s husband, Ron, always keep me posted on what’s going on. Alan's daughter, Amy, has stepped up in so many ways to engage with the community and families in memory of her Bubbe, as have her brothers Eric and Andrew, and Andrea and Ron’s children, Hillary and Steven.
They show up whenever they can to screenings and speak up about what they’ve learned. Their message at the JCC was another example of their strength.
Michele Rosenthal closed the impact statements with a vow to provide funding to immigrant organizations every year on the anniversary of the killer's death.
Alongside the Mallingers, other survivors and families of the 11 lost spoke to the media and their community.
Lisa Stein, daughter of Dan Stein, shared a statement that echoed what many of the family members said they were feeling about the verdict:
“Finally justice has been served, I feel a weight has been lifted.”