Vermont man on trial for shooting three Palestinian students, claims CIA orders
Jason Eaton is on trial for attempting to murder three Palestinian college students in Burlington, asserting he acted on CIA and Mossad directives.
In a Burlington courtroom, Jason Eaton faces attempted-murder charges for shooting three Palestinian students who were walking near his home shortly after Thanksgiving. Eaton maintains that the CIA and Mossad communicated commands to him through a local one outlet affiliate, later convincing him that God ordered the attack to safeguard a Jewish family across the street. The defense points to a recent credit-union job loss and a psychotic disorder that produced delusional messages, while the prosecution presents forensic evidence linking a Ruger.380 handgun to the crime and asserts Eaton had no legal insanity defense.
The victims—Hisham Awartani, Tahseen Aliahmad and Kinnan Abdalhamid—suffered wounds ranging from a spinal injury that left Awartani paralyzed to injuries to the collarbone and buttock. If convicted, Eaton could receive life imprisonment; a not-guilty verdict on insanity grounds would lead to mandated mental-health treatment.
Why it matters
The case highlights tensions over hate-crime investigations, mental-health defenses, and gun violence in the U.S.
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