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CNN Live Today

Reid Appears in Boston Court Today

Aired June 11, 2002 - 12:11   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.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Shoe bomb suspect Richard Reid has a scheduled appearance in federal court in Boston today. Reid is the man accused of trying to blow up an airliner last December with explosives hidden in his shoes.

CNN's Susan Candiotti joins us live to tell us what this hearing is all about -- Susan.

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Kyra.

This is a very important hearing for both sides in the case, the prosecution and the defense. It involves potentially damning statements that alleged shoe bomber Richard Reid made to authorities after his arrest. He arrived at the courthouse under heavy security and a very short motorcade just a little while ago. And as we show you that, we will tell you that this involves statements that he made for two and a half hours to the FBI after his arrest.

The government's position is this: that in its words, Reid spoke freely and eagerly to them on many topics, but he chose not to answer certain questions, while giving detailed information on others. And that they did no convincing, no prodding, no physical abuse, no trickery, deception or intimidation to get Reid to talk to them.

Now the defense sees this very, very differently. Their position is that once Richard Reid was taken off the plane and he started to talk to a Massachusetts state trooper, he said to that trooper, "I have nothing else to say." And the defense maintains that, at that point, no further questioning should have taken place.

They say that he was also under the influence of drugs, including at least three shots he took including Valium. Once the flight crew aboard that American Airlines flight tried to subdue him, once he tried to allegedly light those explosives inside one of his sneakers. And they argue that an emergency medical technician believed it was not medically appropriate for the FBI to question Richard Reid because he was under the influence of medication, and should have been taken to a hospital first.

Now, the bottom line issue is this: the government will be arguing that, after all, Richard Reid did waive his Miranda rights in writing. But the defense will say it does not matter because he should not have been questioned in the first place after saying that he did not want to talk. The hearing is scheduled to begin in just a few hours. It is scheduled for both today and tomorrow. And then Reid's trial is expected to begin in November -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Susan Candiotti, thank you.

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