Lawyers fight death penalty for synagogue shooting suspect
Lawyers for the suspect in the synagogue shooting that killed 11 people in Pittsburgh are challenging the potential death penalty as unconstitutional. Lawyers for Robert Bowers say in court papers filed this week that capital punishment violates the Fifth Amendment’s due process clause and the Eighth Amendment’s ban on cruel and unusual punishment. Defense lawyer Judy Clarke has made similar arguments in other high-profile capital cases. Clarke says she’s tried to negotiate a life sentence for Bowers but has been rebuffed by prosecutors. No trial date has been set.