HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) -- The trial will begin on Monday, April 24 for a Pittsburgh-area man accused of killing 11 Jewish worshipers in 2018, which is the deadliest anti-Semitic attack in US history. As the trial gets underway, state lawmakers will unveil a set of bills aimed at better protecting those at risk of hate crimes.
Lawmakers in Harrisburg have come up with bills aimed at trying to prevent another tragedy, such as the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting, from happening again.
The bipartisan package would expand protections to cover the LGBTQ community and people with disabilities, strengthen civil and criminal penalties, increase training for police and educators, encourage the reporting of hate-based incidents in schools, and provide a mechanism by which those convicted of hate crimes perform community service and complete cases related to motivating factor for the crime.
Monday's introduction of the bills comes as jury selection is set to begin in the federal death penalty trial of 50-year-old Robert Bowers, the truck driver from a Pittsburg suburb who is accused of shooting to death 11 worshipers at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh back in October 2018.
Bowers faces 63 counts, among them are 11 counts of obstruction of free exercise of religion resulting in death and 11 counts of hate crimes resulting in death.
Bowers' lawyers recently said he has schizophrenia and other brain impairments.
Monday's press conference on the anti-hate Crime bills is being held at 10 a.m. at the State Capitol.
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