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Add Two More Counts of Murder to Growing List of Charges Against Sniper Suspects
Aired November 07, 2002 - 11:10 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.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Add two more counts of murder to the growing list of charges against the D.C.-area sniper suspects. They're now charged in the shooting death of an FBI analyst in Virginia, and the Justice Department is weighing which case should be prosecuted first.
Our Patty Davis is checking in now live from Washington. She's got the latest.
Good morning, Patty.
PATTY DAVIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Leon.
Those murder charges against John Muhammad and John Lee Malvo came in Fairfax County, Virginia, and they carry the death penalty for both men. Prosecutors allege Muhammad and Malvo gunned down 47-year- old Linda Franklin, shooting her in the head. Franklin and her husband were loading their car after shopping at a home depot in Falls Church, Virginia, October 14th.
Sources tell CNN Attorney General John Ashcroft could decide by the end of this week which jurisdiction will try the case first. Sources say Fairfax County, as well as Prince William County, Virginia, where another of the sniper victims was killed, are leading contenders.
Fairfax County prosecutor says yesterday he hopes Ashcroft will send the case to Virginia first.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERT HORAN, COMMONWEALTH'S ATTORNEY: I would hope that the decision on which case will be tried first will be strictly and positively evidence-driven. By that, I mean we will look at the jurisdiction that has the best factual evidence, and commence the Virginia end of this in that jurisdiction.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DAVIS: We are expecting a federal indictment against John Muhammad today in the sniper cases. That indictment today in keeping with a legal timetable. Last week, the federal government brought a 20-count criminal complaint against Muhammad, alleging murder in connection with extortion among other charges. That extortion charge for notes left at murder scenes demanding $10 million to stop the killings. It's a charge Muhammad's lawyer calls a stretch by the government, and he says they're simply trying to shoehorn the case into federal court. Muhammad could face the death penalty on those charges as well.
No word now on federal charges for Malvo. His case is sealed, because he's a juvenile -- Leon.
HARRIS: Thank you very much, Patty. Patty Davis, reporting live to us from Washington.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Against Sniper Suspects>
Aired November 7, 2002 - 11:10 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Add two more counts of murder to the growing list of charges against the D.C.-area sniper suspects. They're now charged in the shooting death of an FBI analyst in Virginia, and the Justice Department is weighing which case should be prosecuted first.
Our Patty Davis is checking in now live from Washington. She's got the latest.
Good morning, Patty.
PATTY DAVIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Leon.
Those murder charges against John Muhammad and John Lee Malvo came in Fairfax County, Virginia, and they carry the death penalty for both men. Prosecutors allege Muhammad and Malvo gunned down 47-year- old Linda Franklin, shooting her in the head. Franklin and her husband were loading their car after shopping at a home depot in Falls Church, Virginia, October 14th.
Sources tell CNN Attorney General John Ashcroft could decide by the end of this week which jurisdiction will try the case first. Sources say Fairfax County, as well as Prince William County, Virginia, where another of the sniper victims was killed, are leading contenders.
Fairfax County prosecutor says yesterday he hopes Ashcroft will send the case to Virginia first.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERT HORAN, COMMONWEALTH'S ATTORNEY: I would hope that the decision on which case will be tried first will be strictly and positively evidence-driven. By that, I mean we will look at the jurisdiction that has the best factual evidence, and commence the Virginia end of this in that jurisdiction.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DAVIS: We are expecting a federal indictment against John Muhammad today in the sniper cases. That indictment today in keeping with a legal timetable. Last week, the federal government brought a 20-count criminal complaint against Muhammad, alleging murder in connection with extortion among other charges. That extortion charge for notes left at murder scenes demanding $10 million to stop the killings. It's a charge Muhammad's lawyer calls a stretch by the government, and he says they're simply trying to shoehorn the case into federal court. Muhammad could face the death penalty on those charges as well.
No word now on federal charges for Malvo. His case is sealed, because he's a juvenile -- Leon.
HARRIS: Thank you very much, Patty. Patty Davis, reporting live to us from Washington.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Against Sniper Suspects>
