It will be awhile before accused synagogue burner Stephen Spencer Pittman faces justice.
A federal grand jury indicted Pittman for arson, damage to religious property, and use of fire to commit a felony after he allegedly torched Beth Israel Congregation at 3 AM on January 10.
The charge of damage to religious property carries a maximum penalty of 20 years or less in prison and/or a $20,000 or less fine while the charge of use of fire to commit a felony carries a maximum penalty of a prison sentence of 10 years or less and/or a fine of $250,000 or less. Pittman faces a prison sentence of 5-20 years and/or a fine of up to $250,000 if convicted of arson.
The Court denied Pittman bond.
Pittman asked the Court to postpone his trial scheduled for August 3, claiming he needed more time to review the evidence. The Justice Department did not oppose the motion.
U.S. District Judge Henry Wingate continued Pittman's trial until the October term.
Synopsis of Case
Pittman allegedly torched Beth Israel Congregation at 3 AM Saturday. The fire burned up the library, destroying two Torahs, and offices. Beth Israel is at 5135 Old Canton Road and was built in 1967.
The FBI arrested Pittman later that day and charged him with arson. An FBI Special Agent's affidavit said Pittman allegedly walked into the building with a gas container. Pittman drove from his Madison home, stopped at Mac's Gas in Ridgeland to fill up a gas container, and continued on to Beth Israel. He completely covered his face and removed his license plate so as to prevent identification.
Once at Beth Israel, Pittman inexplicably texted his father a picture of the rear of Beth Israel and messages such as "There's a furnace in the back," "Btw my plate is off," "Hoodie is on", and "they have the best cameras."
The father begged his son to come home but Spencer Pittman replied he "was due for a home run" and "I did my research." Later that morning, Pittman's father saw he had burns on his hands, ankles, and face. The father confronted his son, who promptly confessed.
The accused arsonist said he broke open a window at Beth Israel, went inside, and set it in fire. Pittman laughed as he told the story to his father, bragging "he finally got them." The little firebug called Beth Israel the "synagogue of Satan", a common trope among anti-Semites.
Pittman's father turned him into the police.
The federal grand jury indicted him several days later for arson. Pittman faces between 5 and 20 years in prison and/or a fine of $250,000 or less if convicted.
A Hinds County grand jury indicted him for arson within 48 hours of the attack as well. Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens seeks an enhancement since the building burned was a place of worship. The enhancement will double the maximum penalty from 30 to 60 years in prison.
17 comments:
We have yet to begin the Wingate-inspired delays that will be forthcoming. These delays, so far, are defendant-inspired.
Yes he’s guilty and will spend many years in prison but all of this could had been avoided if his family had gotten him the help he desperately needed. They had to suspect something was wrong with him.
I wish parents would take there children mental health more seriously
One word- Wingate.
Jody Owens is now seeking a way out-
A pity the little Nazi can’t get the death penalty. And the synagogue should sue his Nazi parents.
It’s all billable hours funded by his parents.
How does everybody know the parents didn’t try and get him help? It’s very difficult if the person doesn’t want to accept help.
We aren't getting the whole picture, 2:17. I'd imagine a diagnosis was given, before the kid hit 1st Grade. This is my PERSONAL GUESS. Escalating meds, escalating strategies and interventions... Insufficient isolation from corrupting influences... Occasional doses of subtly-crafted/subtly-delivered suggestions - crafted far away from Mississippi, and calibrated to impact suggestible, mentally vulnerable young men...
2:17 - How do you know they don’t agree with him? Maybe they’re fans of Tucker Carlson, Candace Owens & Nick Fuentes, too.
Except that he is represented by a federal public defender . . .
4:46 I get the feeling his parents have washed there hands of him
If they had would he be in jail? They both are professionals and could had afford treatment
@4:46 PM. I’ll split the difference with you. His parents pay taxes that fund the Federal Defenders. :)
No one can be involuntarily committed unless they are a danger to themselves or others. You can't prove that until they've seriously hurt themselves or someone else or been destructive or committed a crime. Until that became law in c.1970 those who knew him could have petitioned the court for a 48 hour psychiatric evaluation and tested for drugs. When we have judges and politicians who had sheltered lives, they often lack real world experiences and " common sense".
Ronald Reagan didn't want mental health institutions for the permanently insane. He preferred to make it extremely difficult to involuntarily commit someone to an institution and to just dump them on public streets and on their families.
@9:06
I am not an acolyte of the cult or Reagan but it is well documented that Soviet Union was using mental institutions as political prisons. This was the primary motivation for Reagan dismantling the ability of the Marxists at home from similarly using them as tools of tyranny.
Post a Comment