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CNN Live At Daybreak
More Charges for Sniper Suspects
Aired October 30, 2002 - 06:02 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.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: We want to bring you up-to-date on the sniper investigation right now. John Muhammad, one of the two people accused in the D.C.-area sniper case, is now facing 20 federal criminal counts. They were filed yesterday.
Patty Davis has been keeping track of this case. She joins us live now with an update.
Good morning -- Patty.
PATTY DAVIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
Well, those 20 criminal counts including the use of a firearm during a crime of violence, conspiracy to commit offenses against the United States, conspiracy to affect interstate commerce by extortion, discharging a firearm in a school zone. Charges that could bring the death penalty for Muhammad, who appeared in court yesterday, saying he understood the charges against him.
Muhammad's former wife, meanwhile, Carol Williams, and his son, Lindbergh Williams, said last night here on CNN that Muhammad should get the death penalty if he is convicted of the Washington-area sniper killings.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LINDBERGH WILLIAMS, SNIPER SUSPECT'S SON: I feel terrible. First of all, I would like to apologize to all of the victims, even though I know I can't do anything to change it. And I know what he did was wrong. I just want to say I'm sorry, because it was just uncalled for. No matter what he was going through and how terrible he was, it does not give you the right to go shoot innocent people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DAVIS: Carol Williams says Muhammad's bad childhood, failed marriages and losing custody of his children may have contributed to the alleged murder spree. And she says she worries that she may have been the next victim.
As for John Lee Malvo, he is not named in this criminal complaint because he's a juvenile, but it does allege that Muhammad referred to Malvo by the name "sniper" -- Carol.
COSTELLO: And just to make sure we all understand, just because these federal charges have come that will make no difference in where the first trials take place. DAVIS: That has nothing to do with jurisdiction here at this point. But the federal government does have custody of these two men, and in effect, will decide which state they go to, to be prosecuted first.
Of course, you know there is Alabama that has unrelated capital charges, not related to the sniper spree here in Washington, and then Maryland and Virginia.
It seems at this point, Carol, prosecutors, the federal prosecutors at least, leaning toward letting Virginia try this case first, specifically because it has greater success and more willingness to use the death penalty, and it can also execute juveniles something that Maryland is not allowed to do -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Understand. Patty Davis, thanks.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Aired October 30, 2002 - 06:02 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: We want to bring you up-to-date on the sniper investigation right now. John Muhammad, one of the two people accused in the D.C.-area sniper case, is now facing 20 federal criminal counts. They were filed yesterday.
Patty Davis has been keeping track of this case. She joins us live now with an update.
Good morning -- Patty.
PATTY DAVIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
Well, those 20 criminal counts including the use of a firearm during a crime of violence, conspiracy to commit offenses against the United States, conspiracy to affect interstate commerce by extortion, discharging a firearm in a school zone. Charges that could bring the death penalty for Muhammad, who appeared in court yesterday, saying he understood the charges against him.
Muhammad's former wife, meanwhile, Carol Williams, and his son, Lindbergh Williams, said last night here on CNN that Muhammad should get the death penalty if he is convicted of the Washington-area sniper killings.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LINDBERGH WILLIAMS, SNIPER SUSPECT'S SON: I feel terrible. First of all, I would like to apologize to all of the victims, even though I know I can't do anything to change it. And I know what he did was wrong. I just want to say I'm sorry, because it was just uncalled for. No matter what he was going through and how terrible he was, it does not give you the right to go shoot innocent people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DAVIS: Carol Williams says Muhammad's bad childhood, failed marriages and losing custody of his children may have contributed to the alleged murder spree. And she says she worries that she may have been the next victim.
As for John Lee Malvo, he is not named in this criminal complaint because he's a juvenile, but it does allege that Muhammad referred to Malvo by the name "sniper" -- Carol.
COSTELLO: And just to make sure we all understand, just because these federal charges have come that will make no difference in where the first trials take place. DAVIS: That has nothing to do with jurisdiction here at this point. But the federal government does have custody of these two men, and in effect, will decide which state they go to, to be prosecuted first.
Of course, you know there is Alabama that has unrelated capital charges, not related to the sniper spree here in Washington, and then Maryland and Virginia.
It seems at this point, Carol, prosecutors, the federal prosecutors at least, leaning toward letting Virginia try this case first, specifically because it has greater success and more willingness to use the death penalty, and it can also execute juveniles something that Maryland is not allowed to do -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Understand. Patty Davis, thanks.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
