Two months after a federal judge approved a motion to delay the trial of Beth Israel Congregation arson suspect Stephen Spencer Pittman, the defendant’s legal team says it’s going to need more time than offered.
Pittman’s public defender, attorney Michael Scott, requested a further delay in court proceedings in a Wednesday filing. The defendant was originally set to stand trial in April before the date was moved by U.S. Judge Henry Wingate to Aug. 3. But now, Pittman is seeking additional time to consult with his attorney before appearing before a jury.
“The defendant, Stephen Spencer Pittman, requests that the trial date scheduled for August 3, 2026, be continued on the grounds that defense counsel needs further time to meet with the defendant and investigate the alleged charges,” a portion of the filing reads.
Pittman, a Madison native, is accused of burning the Jackson synagogue back in January. The U.S. Department of Justice initially charged him with arson, later elevating the charge to include a civil rights offense. Pittman also faces an additional charge of first-degree arson with a hate crime enhancement on the state level. The defendant has pleaded not guilty to all charges. If convicted on the federal level, he could face up to 60 years in prison.
A graduate of St. Joseph Catholic School in Madison before going on to play baseball at Coahoma Community College, Pittman confessed to breaking into Beth Israel, dousing areas of the synagogue with gasoline, and setting fire to the place of worship, the FBI said. The crime was captured on video.
The defendant’s father turned him in shortly after the fire. According to investigators, his father is the one who gave them a picture showing his son had texted him from the crime scene. He told agents that his son confessed to setting the building on fire.
While no congregants of Beth Israel were injured during the blaze, the emotional toll has been a combination of discouragement and encouragement, according to synagogue officials. Congregation President Zach Shemper has vowed to rebuild the synagogue with rehabilitation plans recently revealed. Several area churches have been opening their doors to Beth Israel in the meantime.
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Beth Israel Congregation was established in Jackson in 1860 and is the city’s lone synagogue. The place of worship also hosts the Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life. The center provides Jewish religious school programs and rabbinical services to more than 70 congregations across Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.
No stranger to attacks and threats, Beth Israel was the site of a Ku Klux Klan bombing in 1967 due to its role in the civil rights movement. In December 2023, Beth Israel was one of hundreds of synagogues across the U.S. to be subjected to bomb threats, elevating concerns of growing antisemitism across the nation.
