Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Today

Windshield Death Trial in Sentencing Phase

Aired June 27, 2003 - 11:02   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.


HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Up first on CNN today, the sentencing phase in the Texas windshield murder trial. Chante Mallard is back in court this hour, as a jury prepares to decide her sentence. She was convicted of murder for hitting a man with her car and leaving him to die while lodged in the windshield of her car.
CNN's Ed Lavandera joins us now from Fort Worth with more on this.

Hi -- Ed.

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Heidi.

Well, Chante Mallard said yesterday on the witness stand that she deserves to be punished and sent to prison for what she did. And most of her family testified as well yesterday, and it seems like they are preparing themselves for that likely scenario.

But it is the jury in this case that will determine that, and sentencing testimony continues this morning. The jury just walked into the courtroom here in downtown Fort Worth a short while ago, and are listening to testimony of another defense witness testifying, who is a toxicologist who will talking here about the condition that Chante Mallard was in after a night of drinking and taking ecstasy and smoking marijuana. So, that's what this witness will be talking about here in a short while -- or actually he's doing so right now, as you see Chante Mallard listening on to that testimony.

Chante Mallard yesterday in testimony spent about two hours on the witness stand, emotional testimony for her, as most of it was tearful testimony, especially the part when she apologized to Greg Biggs' son, Brandon.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHANTE MALLARD, GUILTY OF MURDER: I have ruined lives of other people. I have ruined my family's lives. I have put people through pain. And I am so truly sorry. I am so sorry, Brandon. I am so sorry for what I have caused your family.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LAVANDERA: Chante Mallard said about a dozen times on the witness stand yesterday that she didn't know what to do in that case, after she had killed Greg Biggs, had driven her car into him, didn't know what to do, and that she became hysterical and panicked, and repeatedly said over and over, "I didn't know what to do." Prosecutors didn't take too lightly to that excuse. They pointed out, went deeply into her history of drug use over the last couple of years, even at some points talking about how she had even shown up at work after days of smoking marijuana, and said she was smoking marijuana morning, day and night and even showing up for work high on drugs as well, so a lot of that kind of evidence also turning up for this jury to listen to during testimony yesterday -- Heidi.

COLLINS: Ed Lavandera live from Fort Worth, Texas, on this story.

We want to remind you that we will be following the sentencing phase proceedings and bring them to you if anything should happen, of course, as soon as we hear about them.

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 June 27, 2003 - 11:02   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Up first on CNN today, the sentencing phase in the Texas windshield murder trial. Chante Mallard is back in court this hour, as a jury prepares to decide her sentence. She was convicted of murder for hitting a man with her car and leaving him to die while lodged in the windshield of her car.
CNN's Ed Lavandera joins us now from Fort Worth with more on this.

Hi -- Ed.

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Heidi.

Well, Chante Mallard said yesterday on the witness stand that she deserves to be punished and sent to prison for what she did. And most of her family testified as well yesterday, and it seems like they are preparing themselves for that likely scenario.

But it is the jury in this case that will determine that, and sentencing testimony continues this morning. The jury just walked into the courtroom here in downtown Fort Worth a short while ago, and are listening to testimony of another defense witness testifying, who is a toxicologist who will talking here about the condition that Chante Mallard was in after a night of drinking and taking ecstasy and smoking marijuana. So, that's what this witness will be talking about here in a short while -- or actually he's doing so right now, as you see Chante Mallard listening on to that testimony.

Chante Mallard yesterday in testimony spent about two hours on the witness stand, emotional testimony for her, as most of it was tearful testimony, especially the part when she apologized to Greg Biggs' son, Brandon.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHANTE MALLARD, GUILTY OF MURDER: I have ruined lives of other people. I have ruined my family's lives. I have put people through pain. And I am so truly sorry. I am so sorry, Brandon. I am so sorry for what I have caused your family.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LAVANDERA: Chante Mallard said about a dozen times on the witness stand yesterday that she didn't know what to do in that case, after she had killed Greg Biggs, had driven her car into him, didn't know what to do, and that she became hysterical and panicked, and repeatedly said over and over, "I didn't know what to do." Prosecutors didn't take too lightly to that excuse. They pointed out, went deeply into her history of drug use over the last couple of years, even at some points talking about how she had even shown up at work after days of smoking marijuana, and said she was smoking marijuana morning, day and night and even showing up for work high on drugs as well, so a lot of that kind of evidence also turning up for this jury to listen to during testimony yesterday -- Heidi.

COLLINS: Ed Lavandera live from Fort Worth, Texas, on this story.

We want to remind you that we will be following the sentencing phase proceedings and bring them to you if anything should happen, of course, as soon as we hear about them.

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