A Vermont man has been found guilty of attempted murder in the shooting of three Palestinian college students who were walking near his home in November 2023. The case took place near the University of Vermont campus in Burlington, where the victims were seriously injured. The jury rejected the defendant’s claim that he was not responsible due to insanity, despite his argument that he was acting on orders from the CIA and Mossad—U.S. and Israeli intelligence agencies. The defendant, Jason Eaton, 51, will now face a possible life sentence when he is sentenced at a later date. The trial, which lasted a week, included testimony from the three wounded men, as well as psychiatric experts from both the defense and prosecution. Eaton did not dispute that he was the shooter, but he pleaded not guilty. His defense argued that Eaton was not responsible for his actions because he believed he was receiving instructions from the U.S. and Israeli intelligence agencies via FM radio and that God was telling him to protect his Jewish neighbors. However, the jury did not accept this defense. During the trial, the courtroom was filled with emotional moments. As the verdict was read, Eaton remained expressionless, while the victims, Hisham Awartani and Tahseen Aliahmad, sat in the front row of the gallery. Awartani, who was left paralyzed from the waist down, and Aliahmad, who was wounded, smiled and hugged those around them. The third victim, Kinnan Abdalhamid, was also injured in the attack. Eaton was immediately ordered to be jailed while awaiting his sentencing, which has not yet been scheduled. The case has drawn significant attention due to the unusual nature of the defendant’s claims and the serious injuries sustained by the victims. The trial highlighted the complexities of legal defenses based on mental health and the challenges of proving such claims in court.