'Blatantly psychotic' gunman wanted parade, medals for synagogue massacre, psychologist testifies

PITTSBURGH — The man who gunned down 11 people at a Pittsburgh synagogue thought he deserved medals and a parade for perpetrating the nation's deadliest antisemitic attack, a psychologist testified Thursday, calling the killer “blatantly psychotic.”

Testifying for the defense, Dr. Richard Rogers, a University of North Texas forensic psychologist, said Robert Bowers was pleased with the 2018 rampage at Tree of Life synagogue but expressed regret that he didn't kill more people.

“He was proud of it," said Rogers, who evaluated Bowers for nearly 20 hours over four days last year and took the stand Thursday in the penalty phase of Bowers' trial.

He said Bowers has schizophrenia, a serious brain disorder whose symptoms include delusions.

Bowers, 50, a truck driver from suburban Baldwin, was convicted this month of killing members of three congregations who had gathered at Tree of Life on on Oct. 27, 2018, for Sabbath services and Torah study. He also wounded two worshippers and five police officers.

Defense lawyers are trying to persuade a jury to spare his life, while federal prosecutors are seeking a death sentence.

Bowers’ lawyers are trying to show that his ability to form intent to kill was impaired by mental illness and his delusional view that he could stop a genocide of white people by killing Jews.

Prosecutors say Bowers’ rampage was clearly motivated by antisemitism.

Under cross examination Thursday, Rogers said Bowers was “goal-oriented,” started planning an attack on Jewish people six months before he stormed the synagogue, and had also considered attacking a Jewish Community Center and an unnamed, “high-level” Jewish figure in Cleveland.