Pride Parade Killer Convicted in Murder Case

A three judge-panel in Israel today convicted Yishai Schlissel for stabbing seven people -- including one fatally -- in 2015's Jerusalem Pride parade.

Schlissel, an extremist who is an ultra-Orthodox Jewish man, had just been released early from prison when he went on the spree of violence in Jerusalem in July. He'd served 10 years of a 12-year sentence for stabbing three people during the same pride parade in 2005.

Even after the stabbing, marchers pressed on. And thousands would later rally across the country in response, calling for an end to the kind of bigotry inherent in the attack.

Still, a group calling itself the Faithful Judaism hung posters in ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods that praised Schlissel for his "self sacrifice" and openly hoped for more violence.

Days after the attack, Shira Banki, 16, died from her injuries. And prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised to bring Schlissel to justice.

"We will not allow this despicable killer to undermine the core values that Israeli society is based upon," he said in August. "We contemptuously denounce his actions of hate and violence. We will do everything in our power to bring this killer to face justice."

A Jerusalem district court did just that on Tuesday, reportsHaaretz. He was convicted of murdering Banki and for the attempted murder of six others.

The judges who ruled in the case reportedly directed criticism at police, calling it "unconscionable" that more wasn't done to prevent Schlissel from trying again to attack LGBT parade-goers.