The indictments continue to pile up against the Beth Israel arsonist.
A federal grand jury indicted Stephen Spencer Pittman for arson on January 12 after he set fire to Beth Israel Congregation at 3 AM on January 10. The grand jury added two more counts Tuesday for damage to religious property and use of fire to commit a felony.
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.
U.S. Magistrate denied bond for Pittman at a detention hearing on January 20. Earlier post. Pittman filed a motion to revoke the detention order on February 3.
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| Pittman after burning himself in attack |
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.
14 comments:
Why didn’t his rich parents get him the help he needed before he set the fire? His parents had to know something was wrong with him. I legally they are not responsible but morally they knew he was mentally ill.
Agree wholeheartedly with 12:08. I've seen it before . . . ignore it and it will go away. The parents definitely did not do justice for that kid.
The prosecutors are all fired up.
12:08, Have you ever tried to force someone to get help who doesn't want it?
One you have some experience with that, come back and we'll talk.
Abandoning government-sponsored mental health services has had a profound effect on society over the past few decades, just look at the posts here from the last couple of days. . . It should certainly take priority over corporate welfare and more tax cuts for the billionaires. And us normal folks could have affordable single payer healthcare.
Money is always the issue it’s just lazy parents who don’t want to get there kids help. Plus his family have money and could afford it. I guess they have other things to do
True but you still have to try. I don’t believe they did it was there child and they should had fought for him
12:52 what if you could have the promise of any healthcare service you need, and at premiums lower than what we have now. Sounds good so far, right? But if you ever actually need those services you cannot get access to them. That's single payer healthcare everywhere it's been tried.
Seems like Pittman's attorney would be trying to work out a plea deal given the overwhelming evidence against his client. A conviction likely means he gets max sentencing.
Order of Committment is the legal term I believe when a person is a threat to himself and others. It is not easy but taking the first step may compel someone to get mental health treatment. This may have prevented this but we will never know. A judge would listen & decide what best course of action to take Mr. Pittman will certainly get taxpayer help in prison.
Apparently there are few people with this experience. Once they are 18, they agree to treatment or you force it on them via the courts and the courts don't always do their job.
I have great sympathy for the parents of this mentally disturbed young man, and I do not fault the parents for what their son did. None of the anti-family posters here know squat about mental illness and how hard it is to involuntarily commit someone to a mental hospital (if there is even an available bed), let alone an 18-year-old.
For those who seem to think they can manage and control an adult child's mental illness and/or addiction:
You people are in for a world of hurt if you actually try do it. But take heart, there's a program for you too.
@1:13 I'd rather wait a couple months than be forced into bankruptcy by a rigged system, the only one in the "civilized" world that does it this way.
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