Woman who threatened former Tree of Life director sentenced to nearly 3 years in prison

THESE DOCUMENTS COMING TO US THIS EVENING. ONE BY ONE, OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS, SINCE THE DEADLIEST ANTI-SEMITE ATTACK IN AMERICAN HISTORY, VARIOUS COURT DOCUMENTS HAVE BEEN SEALED TO ENSURE A FAIR TRIAL BEFORE A JURY HERE IN PITTSBURGH. FEDERAL COURT. NOW, AS THIS CASE RAGED FROM 2018 UNTIL LAST SUMMER, THE JUDGE HAS UNSEALED OVER 130 OF THESE DOCUMENTS. So some of these documents include verbatim transcripts of closed-door meetings between the defense judge and the prosecution. WHILE THE TRIAL WAS IN PROGRESS. IN ONE, THE DEFENSE NOTED THE POTENTIAL IMPACT ON THE JURY OF VISIBLE AND AUDIBLE CRYING COMING FROM THE GALLERIES, PARTICULARLY FROM THE VICTIM SECTION AND THE COMMUNITY, DURING TESTIMONY WHEN A PARENT OF A VICTIM WAS ASKED HOW HER GRANDMOTHER'S DEATH IMPACTED HER. . In another closed session transcript, the defense argued for a trial and the prosecutor, during that same session, described the defense motion as, quote, a complete hodgepodge , a kitchen sink approach without citation of any legal authority. JUDGE ROBERT COLVILLE'S ORDER SAYS THESE DOCUMENTS ARE ONE THAT THE DEFENSE AND PROSECUTION AGREED COULD NOW BE UNSEALED, HE SAYS. FOR THOSE ABOUT WHOM THERE ARE DISAGREEMENTS, IT POSTPONES A DECISION UNTIL AN APPELLATE BODY HAS THE CHANCE TO REVIEW AND PROPOSE A DECISION OUTSIDE THE FEDERAL COURTHOUSE DOWNTOWN

Woman who threatened former Tree of Life director sentenced to nearly 3 years in prison

Updated: 3:06 p.m. EDT May 26, 2024

A Los Angeles-area woman was convicted of threatening the former executive director of the Tree of Life Synagogue.Video above: Court documents from the trial of Pittsburgh synagogue shooter were releasedFriday, the Department of Justice Justice announced Melanie Harris, 59, of Riverside, California. , had been convicted in Miami for more than 240 threatening calls and voicemails that she had left for the former director and his family over more than four years. These culminated in death threats against the former director in October 2022. Harris has repeatedly referenced the October 27, 2018 Pittsburgh synagogue shooting that killed 11 Jewish worshipers, the anti-Semitic attack the deadliest in American history. Harris will serve 32 months in prison. , followed by three years of supervised release.

A Los Angeles area woman has been convicted of threatening the former executive director of the Tree of Life Synagogue.

Video above: Court documents from Pittsburgh synagogue shooter's trial released

On Friday, the Justice Department announced that Melanie Harris, 59, of Riverside, California, was sentenced in Miami for more than 240 threatening calls and voicemails she left for the former director and his family for more than four years. These culminated in death threats against the former director in October 2022.

Harris has repeatedly referenced the Oct. 27, 2018, Pittsburgh synagogue shooting that killed 11 Jewish worshipers, the deadliest anti-Semitic attack in American history.

Harris will serve 32 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.