John Earnest: California synagogue gunman sentenced to life in prison

Hannah Kaye paused to recompose herself before giving a victim impact statement during John T Earnest's sentencing hearing in Superior Court, Thursday, 30 September 2021 in San Diego (AP)

The gunman who killed one and injured three other worshipers at a crowded San Diego synagogue was sentenced to life imprisonment without parole.

John Earnest, 22, opened fire inside the Chabad of Poway during a Sabbath service in April 2019, killing Lori Gilbert-Kaye.

He pleaded guilty to murder in San Diego Superior Court in July in a deal to avoid the death sentence.

Earnest also pleaded guilty to attempted murder and arson for setting a fire outside a mosque in Escondido, California, a month before the synagogue attack.

Authorities said that he used accelerant and left graffiti referencing deadly shootings carried out by a white supremacist at New Zealand mosques days before.

As part of his plea deal, Earnest admitted that both the shooting and the arson were hate crimes.

At his sentencing Earnest’s lawyer asked if his client could make a statement to the court, which was filled with victims and their families.

“I don’t want this to be a platform for him to make white supremacist or racist statements,” Deddeh said Superior Court Judge Peter Deddeh.

“I’m not going to let him use this as a platform to add to his celebrity.”

Earnest was a 19-year-old nursing student at Cal State San Marcos when he carried out his attack.

The victim’s husband, Dr Howard Kaye, told the court of his “deep loneliness” without his wife of 32 years, whom he called “a superior person and a wonderful woman.”

Mr Kaye, who was accompanied by daughter Hannah Kaye, called Earnest a “a recalcitrant murderer” as he added: “It is too easy for those of weak character to get influenced by the dark, evil side.”

After the hearing, district attorney Summer Stephan refused to mention the defendant by name.

“He will be erased from history,” she said.

“What will remain is the name of Lori Gilbert-Kaye and all of the heroes that jumped in to save life that day. ... We will not glorify this act of complete cowardice.”