The library at Beth Israel Congregation is where investigators believe the arsonist started the fire that destroyed large portions of the building. (Courtesy: Beth Israel Congregation)
- Pittman is accused of setting fire to the largest Jewish house of worship in Mississippi located in Jackson.
U.S. District Judge Henry Wingate has pushed back the trial date yet again for alleged Beth Israel arsonist Stephen Spencer Pittman.
In an order issued Wednesday, Wingate granted Pittman’s defense additional time to investigate the charges against their client, moving the trial “until the October 2026 term of court.”
This is the third delay in the start of the trial, which was originally set for April 6. It was previously moved to June 1 and then to August 3.
Pittman is accused of setting fire to the largest Jewish house of worship in Mississippi located in Jackson.
Flames tore through Beth Israel, founded in 1860, causing significant damage to the synagogue’s library and the administration building while smoke and soot damage was evident in the main sanctuary. No one was in the building at the time of the arson attack, other than the perpetrator.
A grand jury in Hinds County indicted Spencer Pittman on a first-degree arson charge with a hate crime enhancement.
The state charges in Hinds County are in addition to the federal charges Pittman faces, which include arson, damage to religious property and using fire to commit a felony. With the hate crime enhancement added to the first-degree arson charge, Pittman faces up to 60 years in prison on top of any federal sentencing.
Pittman has pleaded not guilty to the charges and remains in jail as he awaits trial.
