SAN DIEGO -  

A possible motion for a new trial prompted a delay Thursday in sentencing the mastermind behind the 2008 bombing of the downtown San Diego federal courthouse.

Donny Love -- convicted in June 2011 of 10 charges, including conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction -- faces a mandatory minimum of 30 years in prison.

Love's attorney told Judge M. Margaret McKeown that he wanted to do more handwriting analysis before deciding whether to file a new trial motion. The judge scheduled a hearing for Nov. 27.

Prosecutors said Love instructed two women, Rachelle Carlock and Ella Louise Sanders, to buy explosive powder and steal bomb-making materials.

On May 4, 2008, Carlock and Eric Reginald Robinson drove from Love's residence in Menifee to San Diego with a backpack containing three pipe bombs, and Carlock detonated the bombs at the front door of the Edward J. Schwartz Federal Courthouse, according to testimony at Love's two-week trial.

The explosion, which occurred around 1:40 a.m., caused substantial property damage to the courthouse and sent shrapnel flying over a city block, but no one was injured.

At the time of the bombing, Love was in dire financial straits and facing significant time behind bars stemming from two pending state criminal cases, prosecutors said. The evidence presented at the trial showed that Love directed the bombing so he could cash in on $75,000 in reward money by telling authorities about Carlock's involvement in the crime.

By providing the information, Love also hoped to get a break on his pending state charges, prosecutors said.

Carlock, Sanders and Robinson each pleaded guilty in connection with the bombing. Carlock was sentenced last year to 10 years in federal prison. Earlier this year, Sanders was sentenced to 10 years in federal custody and

Robinson was given an 11-year term.