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Closing Arguments for Penalty Phase of Yates' Trial Now Concluded

Aired March 15, 2002 - 12:52   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: We are going to move from that story now to Houston, Texas, if you were watching the closing arguments for the penalty phase of Andrea Yates' trial, now concluded. Jurors now on a lunch break. They will come back. Final instructions from the judge, and then deliberating one more time the fate of Andrea Yates.

Ed Lavandera outside the courtroom joins us live with an update from there.

Ed, good afternoon.

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon, Bill.

What I can tell you is that the jury in the case listened to the hour-long closing arguments in the punishment phase of this trial, very stoic, looking straight ahead, paying attention to everything that the attorneys on both sides were saying in this case, as I'd been sitting throughout the trial, we're just across the aisle from the Yates family. They also as well, most of them, leaning forward on the benches in the courtroom, Russell Yates taking notes of all the words that were said. Perhaps he has a little notepad he keeps for his own preparation.

The Yates family sitting -- Andrea Yates' family sitting -- excuse me -- sitting on the other side of the courtroom, very quietly, no emotion on their faces, just looking ahead at what the attorneys were saying. But without a doubt, both sides of the families here feeling a lot of pressure during this lunch hour as they wait for the jury to begin deliberations in this punishment phase.

One note that we want to pass along before we came on CNN with the live coverage of the closing arguments, defense attorneys were requesting a mistrial, and let me fill you in on what has happened. Dr. Park Dietz, the medical expert for the prosecution, testified earlier in the case that Andrea Yates, one of her hobbies was to watch the "Law & Order" show on NBC television, and part of what testified to was that a few weeks before the murders, there had been a episode of a woman who drowned her children, pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, and the suggestion on Dr. Dietz' part of was that perhaps this is what might have inspired Andrea Yates to commit the crimes in this fashion.

A couple of days ago, defense attorneys spoke with the producers of the "Law & Order" show, saying that that episode was never made, never created, never produced in any kind of fashion. They requested a mistrial. The judge has denied that motion. We are waiting to hear from defense attorneys as to exactly how they might handle this down the line, but perhaps all indications are that they will use this, obviously these cases, capital murder cases, are automatically appealed once the verdict is back, and perhaps how this will play out further down the road, in the legal -- in the courts, remains to be seen with this one -- Bill.

HEMMER: All right, Ed, thank you. Ed Lavandera, reporting on the Yates trial there outside -- in Houston.

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