This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

The suspect in a shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue in which 11 people died pleaded not guilty to dozens of charges on Monday as his new lawyer, a prominent death penalty litigator who represented one of the Boston marathon bombers, signaled he might be open to a plea deal.

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Authorities say Robert Bowers, a truck driver, killed 11 and wounded seven, including five police officers, at Tree of Life Synagogue in October. He appeared in federal court with attorney Judy Clarke, who expressed hope for a resolution without a trial.

Clarke is known for negotiating plea deals that helped some of the nation’s most infamous criminals avoid death row, among them the Unabomber Ted Kaczynski, Atlanta Olympics bomber Eric Rudolph and Arizona gunman Jared Lee Loughner, who killed six people and injured 13 including the congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords.

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Clarke also represented the marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, whom a jury sentenced to death.

A spokeswoman for federal prosecutors in Pittsburgh has said a decision about whether to pursue the death penalty against Bowers remains under review. Assistant US attorney Troy Rivetti said in court on Monday that if Bowers does opt for a trial, it could last about three weeks, not including any potential penalty phase.

Bowers, who was shackled, said little, giving yes or no answers. He has been held at the Butler county prison, about 35 miles north of the shooting scene.

On 29 January, a grand jury added 19 counts to the 44 Bowers was already facing. The additional charges include hate crimes violations, obstruction of religious belief and the use of a firearm during crimes of violence.

Bowers, 46, of Baldwin, Pennsylvania, is accused of targeting worshippers from three congregations on Saturday 27 October, during Sabbath services. Donna Coufal, a member of the Dor Hadash congregation, said she attended the arraignment “to bear witness”.

“It’s been a painful time,” she said, “but we remain strong as a community.”

Investigators say Bowers posted criticism of a Jewish charity on social media before the attack, claiming it “likes to bring invaders that kill our people”. Authorities said he raged against Jews as he carried out the shooting, then told investigators “all these Jews need to die”.