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American Morning
Sniper Trials: Face of Face
Aired October 22, 2003 - 09:06 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.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Today sniper suspect John Muhammad may get to cross-examine another victim of last year's area shootings in D.C. Muhammad has chosen to act as his own attorney. Yesterday, he questioned shooting victim Paul Laruffa in court. Laruffa had already told a jury how he fought for his life back on the 5th of September last year after being shot six times.
Paul Laruffa is our guest this morning live in Clinton, Maryland.
Thank you for sharing your story with us.
Had you ever seen John Muhammad in person before yesterday?
PAUL LARUFFA, SNIPER VICTIM: No, yesterday was the first time.
HEMMER: Before he even opened his mouth to ask you questions, what was it like to be in that courtroom with him?
LARUFFA: Well, it was just basically a surreal experience to have a defendant -- a person that's on trial be the one who question you. So it was just a tremendously odd experience, added to the emotion of just being in the courtroom, which was tremendous.
HEMMER: A couple of things I want to clarify with you. You told our producers last night you have no doubt that it was Lee Boyd Malvo, the teenager, who shot you that night. Why do you think that?
LARUFFA: Well, it will come out eventually, and from the descriptions yesterday from the other two witnesses of the slightly built figure, and I believe there will be other evidence presented that will show that it was him.
HEMMER: You also say it's going well for the prosecution. Why do you think that?
LARUFFA: I just think they have their facts in order. They have a tremendous amount of evidence. And they're presenting it in an orderly fashion. And I think the jury is listening. And hopefully the result will be a positive one for the prosecution.
HEMMER: It's my understanding, Paul, that you do not support the death penalty. However, in this case, of John Muhammad is sentenced to die, how would you feel then?
LARUFFA: Well, as I said before, I generally am opposed to the death penalty. But, if the law says that he's sentenced to death, you won't see me with a placard protesting outside the penitentiary. HEMMER: One of the things John Muhammad said to you yesterday, I'll put it on the screen for our viewers to see -- quoting now -- "I'm not asking these questions to be disrespectful. I understand how you feel when you're life is on the line?"
What do you think he was meaning with that statement?
LARUFFA: I think it's an incredible statement, and I don't know what he meant. If he meant that him standing there was in any way similar to me standing in a parking lot bleeding, he's insane, because there was nothing in common with him facing death and the way I faced death. And if that's what he meant, I don't know. I just -- I can't believe he said that, and I don't know what he meant by that.
HEMMER: Other than that statement, how did you interpret his speech his dialogue, his question and answer, the way he carried himself in court?
LARUFFA: Well, frankly, he was a lot less articulate than I thought he was going to be. I thought he would be a lot smoother. Just as being viewed as kind of a conman, and he wasn't that articulate. I wasn't intimidated. I certainly would have been more apprehensive if a defense attorney was questioning me than him. So, it was just surreal seeing him, asking me the questions, but the questions weren't bothersome to me at all. They were just rookie questions as far as I'm concerned.
HEMMER: I know you've used that word bothered many times, saying you were not bothered. One final question for you, did you dread going into court yesterday? Or what was your feeling prior to walking into that court?
LARUFFA: I was more apprehensive than I thought I'd be. And I told the story of that night hundreds of times probably now, and without a lot of emotion. But I broke down yesterday, because the setting was just a lot different than I thought. And with the jury there, it was quite, quite emotional. So I did have some apprehension going in, but I had all the confidence in the world that things would work out right, and I believe they did.
Thanks, Paul. You've been shot six times. How's your health, by the way?
LARUFFA: I'm feeling fine. I'm really in good shape.
HEMMER: Good for you. Here's to your health, too. Thanks, Paul Laruffa in Clinton, Maryland this morning.
LARUFFA: Thank you.
HEMMER: You got it.
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 22, 2003 - 09:06 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Today sniper suspect John Muhammad may get to cross-examine another victim of last year's area shootings in D.C. Muhammad has chosen to act as his own attorney. Yesterday, he questioned shooting victim Paul Laruffa in court. Laruffa had already told a jury how he fought for his life back on the 5th of September last year after being shot six times.
Paul Laruffa is our guest this morning live in Clinton, Maryland.
Thank you for sharing your story with us.
Had you ever seen John Muhammad in person before yesterday?
PAUL LARUFFA, SNIPER VICTIM: No, yesterday was the first time.
HEMMER: Before he even opened his mouth to ask you questions, what was it like to be in that courtroom with him?
LARUFFA: Well, it was just basically a surreal experience to have a defendant -- a person that's on trial be the one who question you. So it was just a tremendously odd experience, added to the emotion of just being in the courtroom, which was tremendous.
HEMMER: A couple of things I want to clarify with you. You told our producers last night you have no doubt that it was Lee Boyd Malvo, the teenager, who shot you that night. Why do you think that?
LARUFFA: Well, it will come out eventually, and from the descriptions yesterday from the other two witnesses of the slightly built figure, and I believe there will be other evidence presented that will show that it was him.
HEMMER: You also say it's going well for the prosecution. Why do you think that?
LARUFFA: I just think they have their facts in order. They have a tremendous amount of evidence. And they're presenting it in an orderly fashion. And I think the jury is listening. And hopefully the result will be a positive one for the prosecution.
HEMMER: It's my understanding, Paul, that you do not support the death penalty. However, in this case, of John Muhammad is sentenced to die, how would you feel then?
LARUFFA: Well, as I said before, I generally am opposed to the death penalty. But, if the law says that he's sentenced to death, you won't see me with a placard protesting outside the penitentiary. HEMMER: One of the things John Muhammad said to you yesterday, I'll put it on the screen for our viewers to see -- quoting now -- "I'm not asking these questions to be disrespectful. I understand how you feel when you're life is on the line?"
What do you think he was meaning with that statement?
LARUFFA: I think it's an incredible statement, and I don't know what he meant. If he meant that him standing there was in any way similar to me standing in a parking lot bleeding, he's insane, because there was nothing in common with him facing death and the way I faced death. And if that's what he meant, I don't know. I just -- I can't believe he said that, and I don't know what he meant by that.
HEMMER: Other than that statement, how did you interpret his speech his dialogue, his question and answer, the way he carried himself in court?
LARUFFA: Well, frankly, he was a lot less articulate than I thought he was going to be. I thought he would be a lot smoother. Just as being viewed as kind of a conman, and he wasn't that articulate. I wasn't intimidated. I certainly would have been more apprehensive if a defense attorney was questioning me than him. So, it was just surreal seeing him, asking me the questions, but the questions weren't bothersome to me at all. They were just rookie questions as far as I'm concerned.
HEMMER: I know you've used that word bothered many times, saying you were not bothered. One final question for you, did you dread going into court yesterday? Or what was your feeling prior to walking into that court?
LARUFFA: I was more apprehensive than I thought I'd be. And I told the story of that night hundreds of times probably now, and without a lot of emotion. But I broke down yesterday, because the setting was just a lot different than I thought. And with the jury there, it was quite, quite emotional. So I did have some apprehension going in, but I had all the confidence in the world that things would work out right, and I believe they did.
Thanks, Paul. You've been shot six times. How's your health, by the way?
LARUFFA: I'm feeling fine. I'm really in good shape.
HEMMER: Good for you. Here's to your health, too. Thanks, Paul Laruffa in Clinton, Maryland this morning.
LARUFFA: Thank you.
HEMMER: You got it.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
