White supremacist pleads guilty to obstructing the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting trial

A self-proclaimed white supremacist pled guilty to obstruction of the due administration of justice in the federal trial of the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting.

Hardy Carroll Lloyd, 45, admitted to making online threats to jurors and witnesses involved in the federal hate crimes trial of Robert Bowers, the Tree of Life Synagogue mass shooter, according to court documents and statements made in court.

Lloyd distributed threatening social media posts, online comments and emails during the trial.

As part of his plea agreement, Lloyd stipulated that he intentionally selected the jury and government witnesses in the Bowers trial as the targets of his offense due to the actual or perceived Jewish religion of the witnesses and the Bowers victims.

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“Hardy Lloyd attempted to obstruct the federal hate crimes trial of the deadliest antisemitic attack in American history,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland in a news release. “His guilty plea underscores that anyone who attempts to obstruct a federal trial by threatening or intimidating jurors or witnesses will be met with the full force of the Justice Department.”

If the agreement is accepted by the court, Lloyd will be sentenced to 78 months in prison, which is expected to be the highest end of the sentencing range calculated under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.

First Assistant U.S. Attorney Randolph Bernard and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarod Douglas are prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated.

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