Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Today

Judge Enters Not Guilty Plea for Moussaoui

Aired June 25, 2002 - 14:54   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: We're going to take you back now to that story we were talking about, just brought to you moments ago. Our justice correspondent, Kelli Arena, is standing by with more on the judge entering a non-guilty plea. We're talking about the trial for Zacarias -- I better pronounce that -- Zacarias Moussaoui.

Kelli, I know we've been mispronouncing it for eight months.

KELLI ARENA, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: It's confusing, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Yes, it is. And this is a bit confusing, too. Why don't you lay it all out? Tell us what just happened.

ARENA: Stick with me, OK? I just got out of the courtroom moments ago. First, let's start with what you said, the fact that the judge entered a not guilty plea for Moussaoui. He said that he wanted to plead no contest. The judge tried to explain to him that that would almost assuredly result in an automatic guilty verdict for him.

He said that he has nothing to say to the United States. Judge Brinkema came back and said, look, my job here, the court's job here, is to inform you of your rights and to try to, you know, help you make the best decision.

He said I want to -- I want to put in a plea of no contest. She said again, I will assume that you mean not guilty, because that's inconsistent with your statements earlier, that the court is trying to conspire against you.

And he said don't assume anything from me. I enter a plea of no contest. But the judge had the final word there, and said that she would enter a plea of not guilty and that he would have a trial by jury.

Now, he was there on his own. He had asked to be seated alone at the defense table. He didn't want his standby counsel near him. His standby counsel, Alan Yamamoto, was in the courtroom. He sat one row behind where Moussaoui was sitting. But Moussaoui very clearly said that he rejected him, that he had nothing to do with this case.

At one point the judge asked Yamamoto to write Mr. Moussaoui a letter explaining to him what the difference between no contest and a plea of not guilty was, and he said she was usurping his rights. He didn't want a letter from Yamamoto. There was also a second lawyer who was present in the courtroom. A Mr. Freeman who was there. He's from Houston, Texas, and he has met with Moussaoui several times in court. We learned in court that he has been told not to meet with him any longer.

We have been told in court as well that he has no jurisdiction to practice law here. As a matter of fact, the judge said that he improperly helped out with two motions that Mr. Moussaoui had entered into the court because he does not have the authority to practice law.

I sat right in front of Mr. Freeman. It seemed to me that he was there with his family. He was there with a woman and a young boy about the age of 17. He was very quiet through most of the proceeding, kept his head down, didn't look at anyone.

And then when we approached him afterwards to ask him if he was going to try to represent Mr. Moussaoui, he said that he had absolutely no comment. As he was making his way outside of the courtroom, he told the marshals rather sternly not to touch him.

He said he would only speak to a local reporter in Houston. He named her also, Gina Gaston. He said he promised her an interview, but that was the only person he was going to talk to. And that he didn't have one thing to say to anyone.

We invited him to come to the microphones. Again, he said, I have absolutely nothing to say. Don't touch me. That was the end of that. So another pretty dramatic court appearance here by Zacarias -- again, I just did it -- Zacarias Moussaoui.

We don't know where this is headed. We also -- I have to tell you, too, that the -- Zacarias Moussaoui has said he didn't want the trial held here in Alexandria because the jury pool would be contaminated by government employees. That was rejected today. The trial will be held here, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right, Kelli Arena, great job. Thank you so much. Coming out right at the last minute there, if you're just joining us, the judge enters a non-guilty plea on behalf a defiant Zacarias Moussaoui, the only person charged in connection with the September 11 hijackings.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com