Return to Transcripts main page
American Morning
Sniper Trials
Aired November 18, 2003 - 09:18 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.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: The jury that convicted John Muhammad must now decide whether he's going to live or die. The penalty phase of Muhammad's murder trial resumes this morning. He was convicted on all four counts against him, including capital murder and terrorism, which carry a possible death sentence. "Washington Post" reporter Sari Horowitz and Michael Ruane are authors of the book "Sniper," and they've been following both sniper trials. Sara is with us this morning from Washington. Michael joins us from Virginia Beach.
Good morning to both of you.
Sara, let's begin with you. Any surprise for you as far as the verdict and how quickly the verdict came back?
SARI HOROWITZ, CO-AUTHOR, "SNIPER": Well, I think some people were surprised at the swiftness of the verdict. The jury deliberated for just 6 1/2 hours over two days.
But I was not surprised that Muhammad was found guilty on all four counts. The prosecution over several weeks presented mountains of evidence, some 400 pieces of evidence, more than 100 witnesses. And the defense team, while they did the best they could, they really -- their case was presented in about three hours and only five witnesses. So really, no surprise on the verdict.
O'BRIEN: Michael, you've been in the courtroom. What was John Muhammad's reaction every time he heard guilty four times?
MICHAEL RUANE, CO-AUTHOR, "SNIPER": Well, it was interesting, he stood sort of at attention in this kind of green, multiple green suit and shirt and tie. And he -- I saw him blink several times as the guilties went whizzing by. It was almost like the reaction of a guy who had heard a loud noise in the courtroom. Other than that, he just sort of he just sort of stared straight ahead and had hardly any reaction.
O'BRIEN: The penalty phase is now under way. Michael, what's your expectation? You think he will be put to death, Michael?
RUANE: I don't know. We're going to hear more today from people from members of Dean Myers' family. Dean is the man he's -- Muhammad has been convicted of killing in Manassas, Virginia. Dean's brothers are here. We may hear from them. We'll -- we may also hear today from Mildred Muhammad, John Muhammad's ex-wife, who is terrified of him, is convinced that he was determined to kill her, destroy her. She believes that she saw his car outside her house during the sniper spree, and she lived in fear of the man and will see him for the first time in person probably later today since she was given custody of their children two years ago.
O'BRIEN: Sari, give me a sense of how the guilty verdict in the Muhammad trial will impact the Malvo trial, which is happening just handfuls of miles away?
HOROWITZ: Right. I mean, it's only 15 miles away. Both Chesapeake And Virginia Beach are in the same media market. And of course this is a national story. The jury is sequestered in the Malvo trial and the judge has warned them not to look at any of the Muhammad coverage. But of course, they go home, they can talk to their spouses. They might walk by a newspaper box, go to the grocery store, overhear something.
In one sense, it could impact the prosecution's case in a positive way, in that if the jury hears that Muhammad was found guilty, they might believe that Malvo is guilty also, he was found in the same car, they were both arrested together. On the other hand, it could help the defense case, because of course, the Muhammad prosecution argued he was the captain of the killing team, and that is consistent with the defense argument that Malvo was brainwashed by this 42-year-old father figure.
O'BRIEN: The trial just getting under way. We will wait to see what happens there. Obviously. I'm sure we'll check in with both of you throughout that time. Sari and also Michael, thanks for joining us this morning. Nice to see you guys. Appreciate 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 November 18, 2003 - 09:18 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: The jury that convicted John Muhammad must now decide whether he's going to live or die. The penalty phase of Muhammad's murder trial resumes this morning. He was convicted on all four counts against him, including capital murder and terrorism, which carry a possible death sentence. "Washington Post" reporter Sari Horowitz and Michael Ruane are authors of the book "Sniper," and they've been following both sniper trials. Sara is with us this morning from Washington. Michael joins us from Virginia Beach.
Good morning to both of you.
Sara, let's begin with you. Any surprise for you as far as the verdict and how quickly the verdict came back?
SARI HOROWITZ, CO-AUTHOR, "SNIPER": Well, I think some people were surprised at the swiftness of the verdict. The jury deliberated for just 6 1/2 hours over two days.
But I was not surprised that Muhammad was found guilty on all four counts. The prosecution over several weeks presented mountains of evidence, some 400 pieces of evidence, more than 100 witnesses. And the defense team, while they did the best they could, they really -- their case was presented in about three hours and only five witnesses. So really, no surprise on the verdict.
O'BRIEN: Michael, you've been in the courtroom. What was John Muhammad's reaction every time he heard guilty four times?
MICHAEL RUANE, CO-AUTHOR, "SNIPER": Well, it was interesting, he stood sort of at attention in this kind of green, multiple green suit and shirt and tie. And he -- I saw him blink several times as the guilties went whizzing by. It was almost like the reaction of a guy who had heard a loud noise in the courtroom. Other than that, he just sort of he just sort of stared straight ahead and had hardly any reaction.
O'BRIEN: The penalty phase is now under way. Michael, what's your expectation? You think he will be put to death, Michael?
RUANE: I don't know. We're going to hear more today from people from members of Dean Myers' family. Dean is the man he's -- Muhammad has been convicted of killing in Manassas, Virginia. Dean's brothers are here. We may hear from them. We'll -- we may also hear today from Mildred Muhammad, John Muhammad's ex-wife, who is terrified of him, is convinced that he was determined to kill her, destroy her. She believes that she saw his car outside her house during the sniper spree, and she lived in fear of the man and will see him for the first time in person probably later today since she was given custody of their children two years ago.
O'BRIEN: Sari, give me a sense of how the guilty verdict in the Muhammad trial will impact the Malvo trial, which is happening just handfuls of miles away?
HOROWITZ: Right. I mean, it's only 15 miles away. Both Chesapeake And Virginia Beach are in the same media market. And of course this is a national story. The jury is sequestered in the Malvo trial and the judge has warned them not to look at any of the Muhammad coverage. But of course, they go home, they can talk to their spouses. They might walk by a newspaper box, go to the grocery store, overhear something.
In one sense, it could impact the prosecution's case in a positive way, in that if the jury hears that Muhammad was found guilty, they might believe that Malvo is guilty also, he was found in the same car, they were both arrested together. On the other hand, it could help the defense case, because of course, the Muhammad prosecution argued he was the captain of the killing team, and that is consistent with the defense argument that Malvo was brainwashed by this 42-year-old father figure.
O'BRIEN: The trial just getting under way. We will wait to see what happens there. Obviously. I'm sure we'll check in with both of you throughout that time. Sari and also Michael, thanks for joining us this morning. Nice to see you guys. Appreciate 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
