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Baumhammers arraigned on charges including homicide, hate crimes and arson
Tuesday, May 02, 2000 By Johnna A. Pro, Post-Gazette Staff Writer
Flanked by two Allegheny County homicide detectives, a polite but seemingly dazed Richard S. Baumhammers was arraigned last night in the shooting deaths of four of the five people who were killed during a Friday rampage through two counties.
Baumhammers, 34, of Mt. Lebanon, the accused shooter, made no spontaneous statements during the proceedings at the Allegheny County coroner's office. He stood erect and gave firm, clear answers to each question asked of him by Deputy Coroner Timothy G. Uhrich, who arraigned him on the four homicide charges.
In addition, District Justice Gary Zyra of Scott arraigned Baumhammers on seven counts of ethnic intimidation, three counts of criminal mischief, two counts each of arson and institutional vandalism and one count each of attempted homicide, firearms violations, reckless endangerment and aggravated assault in connection with the wave of violence that began on Elmspring Road in Mt. Lebanon and ended in Beaver County.
Within hours of his arrest Friday, Baumhammers was arraigned in Beaver County in the death of Garry Lee, 22, of Aliquippa, who was shot at the C.S. Kim Karate school in Center.
The others whom Baumhammers is accused of killing during the afternoon shooting spree were Anita "Nicki" Gordon, 63, Baumhammers' neighbor in Mt. Lebanon; Anil Thakur, 31, of Bihar, India; Thao Q. "Tony" Pham, 27, of Castle Shannon; and Ji-Ye "Jerry" Sun, 34, of Churchill.
A sixth victim, Sandip Patel, 25, of Plum, remained in critical condition at Mercy Hospital last night.
Because the shootings happened in broad daylight at in public places, investigators had witnesses to the killings everywhere but at the Gordon home.
For complete Post-Gazette coverage, click here.
Read the Allegheny County police Affidavit of Probable Cause for Richard S. Baumhammers
Until 12:30 yesterday afternoon, they didn't have evidence definitively linking Baumhammers to Gordon's death. That's when the county's ballistics' expert, Robert Levine, matched bullets taken from Gordon's body with Baumhammers' revolver, an affadavit filed in support of the arrest said.
In addition, the affidavit said that a "Molotov cocktail," was used to start a fire in Gordon's home.
It was made "from a bottle containing a petroleum-based accelerant and a piece of cloth inserted as a wick," the affidavit said.
A lid consistent with the bottle was found at Baumhammers' home Friday night during a search by police. Similar devices were found in Baumhammers' vehicle, the affidavit said.
Detectives also seized Baumhammers' computer. Prior to doing so they found a document titled, "Free Market Party."
The affidavit said "the document contains writings alluding to the formation of a political party, 'that work [sic] for the interest of the American majority.' Listed as 'Objectives' of this party are: 'End to Third World Immigration.' It laments that 'European immigration has been practically eliminated.' 'Traditional Americans will live in isolated suburbs outnumbered by third world immigrants.' End to Affirmative Action."
According to the affidavit, "The document continues to lament current immigration policies and states, 'Whites are destined to be a true minority. The descendants of the people that made this nation great are losing a foothold on this nation.' "
A graduate of Kent State University and Cumberland Law School in Birmingham, Ala., Baumhammers has described himself as a lawyer specializing in immigration matters but did not appear to have an active local practice.
Joel Pfeffer, president of the Pittsburgh chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, said yesterday that he did not know Baumhammers and that the Mt. Lebanon man did not belong to the organization.
The group, which has fewer than 35 members in Western Pennsylvania and West Virginia, is made up of lawyers who concentrate their practice in immigration law, Pfeffer said.
Heavy security precautions were taken prior to Bauhammers' arrival at the coroner's office. Allegheny County sheriff's deputies were assigned to each floor including the basement. The building was searched by Deputy Sheriff Francis Willison, accompanied by his dog, Yago. Everyone who entered had to be checked by a metal detector.
When he arrived around at 6:30 p.m., Baumhammers was driven into a basement garage then led up an elevator and taken into the third-floor courtroom.
His bright, orange prison jumpsuit was covered by a bulky, olive-drab bulletproof vest. His hands were manacled to a heavy, leather belt and his legs were shackled. He had one sandal on his right foot but the left was bare -- one of his prison-issue sandals, his lawyers explained later, was lost during the hour-long trip from Beaver County.
Baumhammers' hair was carefully combed. He wore wire-frame eyeglasses and his goatee was neatly trimmed. He spoke clearly, giving his name, address, birth date and age.
Uhrich asked Baumhammers if he understood the charges against him.
"Yes," Baumhammers said.
Did he understand his rights?
"Yes," Baumhammers replied.
Did he have an attorney to represent him?
"I have an attorney present with me," he said. But asked to identify his attorney, Baumhammers had to turn to the man standing next to him for help, defense attorney William Difenderfer.
Uhrich held Baumhammers without bond.
Zyra then arraigned Baumhammers on the lesser charges related to the shooting of Patel, the fire at Gordon's home, and attacks on two synagogues, one in Scott and one in Carnegie.
In addition to shooting at the one in Scott, Baumhammers is accused of defacing the building with ethnic slurs, using red spray paint. A can of red spray paint was found in his vehicle, the affidavit said.
Zyra ordered a mental evaluation and set bond at $1 million. He asked Baumhammers if he had any questions.
"I have no questions, thank you," Baumhammers replied. He was led out of the courtroom and taken to the Allegheny County Jail, where he will be housed in the behavioral clinic.
Staff writer Dennis B. Roddy contributed to this report.
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