Man accused of setting fire to Mississippi synagogue pleads not guilty
A 19-year-old man, Stephen Spencer Pittman, pleaded not guilty to federal arson charges after a fire badly damaged the historic Beth Israel Congregation in Mississippi around 3 a.m. on Jan. 10; there were no casualties. Magistrate Judge LaKeysha Greer Isaac denied bond and ordered Pittman held by the U.S. Marshals, following prosecutor concerns that he might threaten or intimidate jurors, witnesses, his parents, or congregation members. Pittman appeared in court with burns to his hands and ankles that prosecutors say resulted from the arson; his father reportedly turned him in after confronting him about the injuries and an alleged confession. Federal penalties range from five to 20 years, while state charges – perhaps enhanced by a hate-crime allegation – carry five to 60 years. FBI testimony described Pittman returning from winter break acting hostile and making repeated antisemitic remarks, and investigators note possible online radicalization tied to anti-Jewish rhetoric. The FBI, ATF, Jackson Police, and Jackson Fire Department are involved in the ongoing investigation. The fire has rendered the synagogue unusable for now; the congregation previously survived a 1967 bombing by the Ku Klux Klan and has been meeting in other buildings.
Man accused of setting fire to Mississippi synagogue pleads not guilty
A 19-year-old accused of setting fire to a historic Mississippi synagogue pleaded not guilty to arson charges on Tuesday.
Stephen Spencer Pittman was accused of setting fire to the Beth Israel Congregation around 3 a.m. on Jan. 10, badly damaging the structure but leaving no casualties. Magistrate Judge LaKeysha Greer Isaac denied the suspect bond and requested that the U.S. Marshals Service hold him in its detention for the duration of the trial. She agreed with prosecutor Matthew Wade Allen, who argued there was a serious risk Pittman could threaten, harm, or intimidate jurors or witnesses, including his parents and members of the Beth Israel Congregation.
If convicted, Pittman faces a minimum of five years and a maximum of 20 years in prison for the federal charges, while the state charges hold five to 60 years in prison, enhanced with a hate crime charge.
Pittman appeared in court with burn injuries to his hands and ankles, allegedly from the arson. His father turned him in after the teenager allegedly confessed to the crime when confronted over the burns.
Pittman’s social media posts were largely apolitical. FBI Special Agent Ariel Williams testified that he returned from winter break acting hostile toward his family and made repeated antisemitic remarks.
The fire rendered the Beth Israel Congregation inoperable for an extended period. It had previously been bombed by the Ku Klux Klan in 1967 over its involvement in the civil rights movement. Congregants have since gathered in buildings loaned by other religious organizations.
WHO RADICALIZED THE MISSISSIPPI SYNAGOGUE ARSONIST?
The case has drawn interest over the apparent apolitical nature of Pittman previously and his alleged radicalization online. His alleged use of terms such as “Synagogue of Satan” implies radicalization along Christian religious grounds from certain spheres of the online Right.
The FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Jackson Police Department, and the Jackson Fire Department are all participating in the investigation.
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