Global Courant
In a federal death penalty case, a Vanderbilt University Medical Center neurologist, Dr. Ryan Darby, that the man responsible for the deadly attack on a Pittsburgh synagogue in 2018, Robert Bowers, has no psychiatric or neurological condition. The neurologist was called upon by prosecutors to refute the defense’s claims that Bowers is psychotic and has brain abnormalities. Defense experts have previously testified that Bowers suffered from mental illness and was “blatantly psychotic”, claiming that his ability to form the intent to kill was impaired. .
The man who shot 11 people at a Pittsburgh synagogue has no psychiatric or neurological condition and was able to develop the intent to kill, a neurologist testified Wednesday at the federal death penalty trial against the killer.
Dr. Ryan Darby, of Vanderbilt University Medical Center, was called upon by prosecutors to refute defense experts who had previously stated that Robert Bowers is psychotic and has brain abnormalities.
Bowers, 50, a truck driver from suburban Baldwin, was convicted last month of killing members of three congregations who gathered at the Tree of Life Synagogue on Oct. 27, 2018. He also injured two believers and five police officers.
The sentencing phase of Bowers’ trial began on June 26 and is expected to last several weeks. Defense attorneys try to persuade a jury to spare his life, while federal prosecutors seek a death sentence.
Last week, defense experts testified that Bowers was “blatantly psychotic,” with a long history of mental illness. Bowers’ lawyers are trying to show that his ability to form the legal intent to kill was impaired by mental illness and his delusion that he could stop a genocide of whites by killing Jews.
23-YEAR-OLD DANISH GUNMAN WHO THOUGHT THE ZOMBIES VICTIMS HAVE BEEN CONDEMNED TO A MENTAL HEALTH INSTITUTION
On April 19, 2023, a Star of David hangs from a fence outside the dormant landmark Tree of Life Synagogue in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)
Global Courant
But Darby claimed on Wednesday that mental illness appeared to play no role in the country’s deadliest anti-Semitic attack.
The neurologist told jurors he examined Bowers for more than three hours in May, finding the defendant to be calm, cooperative and happy to talk about Jews, immigrants and his belief in a racist conspiracy theory known as the “great substitute.” .
Darby, who also reviewed scans of Bowers’ brain, disagreed with defense experts’ assessment that Bowers has schizophrenia — a serious brain disorder whose symptoms include delusions — as well as a seizure disorder and brain abnormalities.
He said Bowers’ venomous views of Jewish people were reinforced by anti-Semitic material he viewed online and were not the result of delusion or psychosis.
“He saw himself as a soldier” in a war against whites, Darby testified. He said Bowers told him that if he had the chance to attack the synagogue again, he would kill more people.
Neurologist testifies: Pittsburgh synagogue shooter did not suffer from psychiatric disorder
World News,Next Big Thing in Public Knowledg
#Neurologist #testifies #Pittsburgh #synagogue #shooter #suffer #psychiatric #disorder
