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CNN Live At Daybreak
Opening Statements Today in Lee Boyd Malvo Case
Aired November 13, 2003 - 06:06 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.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: One is ending as another begins. Suspected D.C. sniper John Muhammad's trial is just about to go to the jury in Virginia Beach. A few miles away in Chesapeake, his alleged accomplice is now facing a judge and jury.
We take you there now and Eric Philips.
Good morning -- Eric.
ERIC PHILIPS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Carol, good morning to you.
With lightening speed, lawyers picked this jury in the Lee Boyd Malvo case. Nine women and seven men will decide this case, and opening statements are expected to begin today.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PHILIPS (voice-over): Lee Boyd Malvo's defense team will try to convince the group of 12 jurors and 4 alternatives that the 18-year- old is not guilty by reason of insanity, claiming he was brainwashed by his older alleged accomplice, 42-year-old John Muhammad.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If you see him now, you should have seen him when Mr. Muhammad took him in. He was much smaller. Probably that made him that much more of a target.
PHILIPS: Malvo is charged with the murder of FBI analyst Linda Franklin outside a Home Depot in Falls Church, Virginia, last October. Investigators say DNA evidence indicates Malvo also pulled the trigger in many of the other sniper shootings that left 10 dead and 3 wounded last fall.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Now, I owe something to all those dead people to see that they get justice in this case.
PHILIPS: Meanwhile, the defense has rested in the case of John Muhammad, the other half of the alleged sniper team, being tried in nearby Virginia Beach. In a surprising move, Muhammad's defense only called 5 witnesses in less than 3 hours, a stark contrast to the 136 witnesses the prosecution called in 14 days.
Closing arguments are scheduled to begin today.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
Both Muhammad and Malvo face capital murder charges. They're also the first to be charged under Virginia's new terrorism law, designed for those who commit crimes intended to intimidate the public.
Live in Chesapeake, I'm Eric Philips.
Carol -- back to you.
COSTELLO: All right, thanks very much, Eric.
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 November 13, 2003 - 06:06 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: One is ending as another begins. Suspected D.C. sniper John Muhammad's trial is just about to go to the jury in Virginia Beach. A few miles away in Chesapeake, his alleged accomplice is now facing a judge and jury.
We take you there now and Eric Philips.
Good morning -- Eric.
ERIC PHILIPS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Carol, good morning to you.
With lightening speed, lawyers picked this jury in the Lee Boyd Malvo case. Nine women and seven men will decide this case, and opening statements are expected to begin today.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PHILIPS (voice-over): Lee Boyd Malvo's defense team will try to convince the group of 12 jurors and 4 alternatives that the 18-year- old is not guilty by reason of insanity, claiming he was brainwashed by his older alleged accomplice, 42-year-old John Muhammad.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If you see him now, you should have seen him when Mr. Muhammad took him in. He was much smaller. Probably that made him that much more of a target.
PHILIPS: Malvo is charged with the murder of FBI analyst Linda Franklin outside a Home Depot in Falls Church, Virginia, last October. Investigators say DNA evidence indicates Malvo also pulled the trigger in many of the other sniper shootings that left 10 dead and 3 wounded last fall.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Now, I owe something to all those dead people to see that they get justice in this case.
PHILIPS: Meanwhile, the defense has rested in the case of John Muhammad, the other half of the alleged sniper team, being tried in nearby Virginia Beach. In a surprising move, Muhammad's defense only called 5 witnesses in less than 3 hours, a stark contrast to the 136 witnesses the prosecution called in 14 days.
Closing arguments are scheduled to begin today.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
Both Muhammad and Malvo face capital murder charges. They're also the first to be charged under Virginia's new terrorism law, designed for those who commit crimes intended to intimidate the public.
Live in Chesapeake, I'm Eric Philips.
Carol -- back to you.
COSTELLO: All right, thanks very much, Eric.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
