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CNN Live Today

Government Will Seek Death for Zacarias Moussaoui

Aired March 28, 2002 - 13:22   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: The U.S. government says it will seek death for Zacarias Moussaoui, who, the government alleges, plotted to be one of the 09-11 hijackers.

Deborah Feyerick watching that story from New York, where the news came down just about three hours ago.

Deborah, good afternoon.

DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Bill.

Well, if found guilty, a jury will decide whether terrorist Zacarias Moussaoui lives or dies. Attorney General John Ashcroft making the announcement that the U.S. government is seeking the death penalty.

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JOHN ASHCROFT, ATTORNEY GENERAL: Following my instructions, the United States attorneys have filed a notice of intent to seek a sentence of death. In the notice, we have alleged numerous reasons, called aggravating factors, which we believe indicate why the death penalty is appropriate. Among these reasons is the impact of the crime on thousands of victims.

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FEYERICK: In the notice, prosecutors are planning to prove even though Moussaoui was behind bars at the time of the attacks, he knew people would die because what he allegedly planned to do, carrying out says the government -- quote -- in an especially heinous, cruel and depraved manner, in that they involved the torture and serious physical abuse to the victim. Three-thousand people died in the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon, thousands more suffering from the physical scars of having survived, or the emotional wounds of losing loved ones.

Moussaoui's lawyer is accusing the government of trying this case in the press. Frank Dunham telling CNN, we do things on the record, in the courthouse.

Death penalty expert David Rohnke, who tried one of the men at the -- defended one of the mean at the U.S. embassy bombing trial, said in this case, prosecutors are overreaching when they say Moussaoui carried this out.

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DAVID ROHNKE, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Because the way the federal death penalty act is structured, it requires participation in -- quote -- "an act" -- closed quote -- which yields the death of another person. And it is pushing the envelope of logic to describe the entry into a conspiracy as equivalent of an act that takes a human life.

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FEYERICK: Prosecutors are planning to prove that Moussaoui came to the United States to study flying, in their words, in order to kill as many American citizens as possible. The notice details the attack's devastation and its impact on life in New York and Washington D.C. Moussaoui of Moroccan descent, is a French citizen. And France is firmly anti-death penalty. The attorney general has asked to international community to respect the United States sovereignty in this matter.

And is Moussaoui sorry? Well, prosecutors are saying no, that Moussaoui, in their words, has demonstrated a lock of remorse for his criminal conduct -- Bill.

HEMMER: Deborah Feyerick, that trial should begin early fall quite possibly.

Deborah, thank you.

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