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CNN Live At Daybreak

Jury Will Begin Deliberating Penalty Phase in Sniper Trial

Aired November 21, 2003 - 05:21   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 LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Later this morning, the jury will begin deliberating the penalty phase in John Allen Muhammad's sniper trial.
CNN's Jeanne Meserve tells us some of the words that will echo in the jurors' heads.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): "If there was ever a crime that deserves the death penalty, this is it!" thundered prosecutor Paul Ebert, declaring John Muhammad the worst of the worst.

Defense attorneys urged jurors to reject a death sentence, saying no matter what, Muhammad's life is over.

PETER GREENSPUN, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Have you ever been in a prison, sir? Prison is not fun, all right?

QUESTION: Do you think you'd connect it with...

GREENSPUN: You're talking about a six by nine cell.

MESERVE: Defense Attorney Jonathan Shapiro portrayed Muhammad as a good man whose foundation cracked when his family pulled apart. "It was a crushing blow, something went terribly wrong," Shapiro said.

Defense attorneys used family videotapes and letters to portray Muhammad as a loving father.

But Prosecutor James Willett reacted with contempt, saying, "That person no longer exists, that person is dead, that person was murdered by the embodiment of malice that sits here before us."

Pointing out that the sniper victims among them left 21 children, Willett said, "He doesn't care for children or human life or anything god put on this earth, except himself."

Whether Muhammad lives or dies is a decision that now rests with 12 jurors. It's a tough decision, the brother of one victim said.

LARRY MEYERS, BROTHER OF DEAN MEYERS: They will have to think very hard and dig very deep in order to come up with their ultimate response.

MESERVE (on camera): Victim family members hugged one another and prosecutors as they left the courtroom. The sister of John Muhammad sat silently in the back. Jean Meserve, CNN, Virginia Beach, Virginia.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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




Trial>


Aired November 21, 2003 - 05:21   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Later this morning, the jury will begin deliberating the penalty phase in John Allen Muhammad's sniper trial.
CNN's Jeanne Meserve tells us some of the words that will echo in the jurors' heads.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): "If there was ever a crime that deserves the death penalty, this is it!" thundered prosecutor Paul Ebert, declaring John Muhammad the worst of the worst.

Defense attorneys urged jurors to reject a death sentence, saying no matter what, Muhammad's life is over.

PETER GREENSPUN, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Have you ever been in a prison, sir? Prison is not fun, all right?

QUESTION: Do you think you'd connect it with...

GREENSPUN: You're talking about a six by nine cell.

MESERVE: Defense Attorney Jonathan Shapiro portrayed Muhammad as a good man whose foundation cracked when his family pulled apart. "It was a crushing blow, something went terribly wrong," Shapiro said.

Defense attorneys used family videotapes and letters to portray Muhammad as a loving father.

But Prosecutor James Willett reacted with contempt, saying, "That person no longer exists, that person is dead, that person was murdered by the embodiment of malice that sits here before us."

Pointing out that the sniper victims among them left 21 children, Willett said, "He doesn't care for children or human life or anything god put on this earth, except himself."

Whether Muhammad lives or dies is a decision that now rests with 12 jurors. It's a tough decision, the brother of one victim said.

LARRY MEYERS, BROTHER OF DEAN MEYERS: They will have to think very hard and dig very deep in order to come up with their ultimate response.

MESERVE (on camera): Victim family members hugged one another and prosecutors as they left the courtroom. The sister of John Muhammad sat silently in the back. Jean Meserve, CNN, Virginia Beach, Virginia.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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




Trial>