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CNN Live At Daybreak
Opening Statements Today in Sniper Suspect Case
Aired October 20, 2003 - 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: It's moving along at a surprisingly quick pace. Opening statements are set today in the first D.C. sniper trial -- a trial that could cost John Allen Muhammad his life.
Live to Virginia Beach now and Jennifer Coggiola.
Good morning -- Jennifer.
JENNIFER COGGIOLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
Yes, the first day, exactly one year after John Allen Muhammad allegedly shot Dean Harold Meyers. The trial begins today in front of a jury, chosen from Virginia Beach last week.
The prosecutors will start this morning with their opening statement, followed by the defense team, in the first day of a trial that's expected to last six weeks.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
COGGIOLA (voice-over): He wasn't the first victim or the last, but the shooting death of Dean Harold Meyers will be the focus of this Virginia Beach courthouse today, as John Allen Muhammad stands trial for the alleged shooting death of Meyers, the 7th of 10 people killed in the D.C.-area sniping shootings last October.
Muhammad pleaded not guilty last week to murder, as well as three other charges: terrorism, conspiracy and illegal use of a firearm, two of which carry a possible death sentence.
Prosecutors, already acknowledging that their case is circumstantial, don't have a witness or a confession for the shooting, but say their case is not weak. Speculation is that they will attempt to prove that Muhammad was at the scene of several of the shootings, and that his involvement in the killings was intended to intimidate the public and influence the government.
For the defense, the focus could be not just in proving their client's innocence, but in preventing a death sentence by proving that without any evidence Muhammad pulled the trigger, he cannot be convicted.
Other evidence expected to be introduced? A laptop computer found in the car Muhammad and Malvo were found in, with maps marking earlier and perhaps planned shootings, and ballistic evidence linking the bullets found in the victim to those fired from a Bushmaster rifle found in Muhammad's car. (END VIDEOTAPE)
Also scheduled to make an appearance in the courthouse today is Lee Malvo, Muhammad's alleged partner in the sniper shootings. Now, he will just be here for identification purposes and not to testify.
I'm Jennifer Coggiola live in Virginia Beach.
Carol -- back to you.
COSTELLO: All right, Jennifer Coggiola reporting live for us this morning.
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 20, 2003 - 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: It's moving along at a surprisingly quick pace. Opening statements are set today in the first D.C. sniper trial -- a trial that could cost John Allen Muhammad his life.
Live to Virginia Beach now and Jennifer Coggiola.
Good morning -- Jennifer.
JENNIFER COGGIOLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
Yes, the first day, exactly one year after John Allen Muhammad allegedly shot Dean Harold Meyers. The trial begins today in front of a jury, chosen from Virginia Beach last week.
The prosecutors will start this morning with their opening statement, followed by the defense team, in the first day of a trial that's expected to last six weeks.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
COGGIOLA (voice-over): He wasn't the first victim or the last, but the shooting death of Dean Harold Meyers will be the focus of this Virginia Beach courthouse today, as John Allen Muhammad stands trial for the alleged shooting death of Meyers, the 7th of 10 people killed in the D.C.-area sniping shootings last October.
Muhammad pleaded not guilty last week to murder, as well as three other charges: terrorism, conspiracy and illegal use of a firearm, two of which carry a possible death sentence.
Prosecutors, already acknowledging that their case is circumstantial, don't have a witness or a confession for the shooting, but say their case is not weak. Speculation is that they will attempt to prove that Muhammad was at the scene of several of the shootings, and that his involvement in the killings was intended to intimidate the public and influence the government.
For the defense, the focus could be not just in proving their client's innocence, but in preventing a death sentence by proving that without any evidence Muhammad pulled the trigger, he cannot be convicted.
Other evidence expected to be introduced? A laptop computer found in the car Muhammad and Malvo were found in, with maps marking earlier and perhaps planned shootings, and ballistic evidence linking the bullets found in the victim to those fired from a Bushmaster rifle found in Muhammad's car. (END VIDEOTAPE)
Also scheduled to make an appearance in the courthouse today is Lee Malvo, Muhammad's alleged partner in the sniper shootings. Now, he will just be here for identification purposes and not to testify.
I'm Jennifer Coggiola live in Virginia Beach.
Carol -- back to you.
COSTELLO: All right, Jennifer Coggiola reporting live for us this morning.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
