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CNN Live Today
Sniper Suspects, Latest Developments
Aired October 30, 2002 - 11:09 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.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Lawyers said that a detention hearing has been scheduled for next week for John Allen Muhammad on federal charges. He has been named in a 20-count criminal complaint that could result in the death sentence.
Our Patty Davis joins us live. She is at our Investigation Desk in Washington, D.C., with the latest.
Patty -- good morning.
PATTY DAVIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn. Well, no decision yet on who will try this case first.
Yesterday, the federal government weighed in with charges of its own against John Muhammad, charges including the use of a firearm during a crime of violence, and conspiracy to affect interstate commerce by extortion. Muhammad could get the death penalty.
Also, an affidavit in that criminal complaint details evidence found in or around the suspect's car, that Chevy Caprice that could connect them to the sniper killing spree: a brown glove, similar to one found at the scene of the last shooting of that bus driver, the bushmaster rifle linked by ballistics evidence to the killings, a .223 bullet, a global positioning system, two-way radios and shooting mittens which were found on Muhammad; also a laptop computer and papers with handwritten notes on them.
Authorities say the handwriting on a tarot card and a note left for police at two shooting scenes do appear to match; that in the affidavit.
Malvo not mentioned in this criminal complaint, though. He is a juvenile and is protected. But he is mentioned as John Doe in the complaint, an accomplice that Muhammad ominously named "sniper" -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Patty, whether it's in the federal indictment or in the state charges, how important is it going to be for investigators to figure out who pulled the trigger in these shootings?
DAVIS: Well, that's required under Virginia statute that they show who the triggerman was.
Now, what Virginia has also done is they have filed charges against these men under an antiterrorism law, a brand new antiterrorism law since September 11. That allows them to get around that and prove that they were trying to intimidate the public. So, Virginia going at it in a couple of attacks there -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Patty Davis in Washington -- Patty, thank you.
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 - 11:09 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Lawyers said that a detention hearing has been scheduled for next week for John Allen Muhammad on federal charges. He has been named in a 20-count criminal complaint that could result in the death sentence.
Our Patty Davis joins us live. She is at our Investigation Desk in Washington, D.C., with the latest.
Patty -- good morning.
PATTY DAVIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn. Well, no decision yet on who will try this case first.
Yesterday, the federal government weighed in with charges of its own against John Muhammad, charges including the use of a firearm during a crime of violence, and conspiracy to affect interstate commerce by extortion. Muhammad could get the death penalty.
Also, an affidavit in that criminal complaint details evidence found in or around the suspect's car, that Chevy Caprice that could connect them to the sniper killing spree: a brown glove, similar to one found at the scene of the last shooting of that bus driver, the bushmaster rifle linked by ballistics evidence to the killings, a .223 bullet, a global positioning system, two-way radios and shooting mittens which were found on Muhammad; also a laptop computer and papers with handwritten notes on them.
Authorities say the handwriting on a tarot card and a note left for police at two shooting scenes do appear to match; that in the affidavit.
Malvo not mentioned in this criminal complaint, though. He is a juvenile and is protected. But he is mentioned as John Doe in the complaint, an accomplice that Muhammad ominously named "sniper" -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Patty, whether it's in the federal indictment or in the state charges, how important is it going to be for investigators to figure out who pulled the trigger in these shootings?
DAVIS: Well, that's required under Virginia statute that they show who the triggerman was.
Now, what Virginia has also done is they have filed charges against these men under an antiterrorism law, a brand new antiterrorism law since September 11. That allows them to get around that and prove that they were trying to intimidate the public. So, Virginia going at it in a couple of attacks there -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Patty Davis in Washington -- Patty, thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
