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Federal Charges Filed Against Sniper Suspect John Allen Muhammad
Aired October 29, 2002 - 13:03 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.
MARTIN SAVDIGE, CNN ANCHOR: Federal charges were filed within the past hour against sniper suspect John Allen Muhammad. Teenager John Lee Malvo, also known as Lee Boyd Malvo, was not named in the federal criminal complaint. The extortion note left for police at one of the shootings apparently figured prominently in the federal charges.
CNN's Bob Franken has the details for us from Greenbelt, Maryland -- Bob.
BOB FRANKEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And as the reason the younger one was not named, Martin, is because he was under 18 years old. His proceedings are being held in secret, in accordance with federal procedures. And as a matter of fact, he can be held as a material witness, we're told by legal sources, for what amounts to an indefinite period of time.
But the older of the two, John Muhammad, has been brought here to Greenbelt, Maryland, where he faces charges at an initial hearing that's going to be held within the next couple of offers -- hours. He was transferred from Baltimore to face a 20-count criminal complaint, not an indictment, but a criminal complaint. And the charges against him include conspiracy to commit offenses against the United States - that's tantamount to a terrorism charge -- conspiracy to affect interstate commerce by extortion and threats of physical violence, conspiracy to, in fact -- to effect interstate commerce by the extortion, as I said, also, actual extortion, and the commission of violence during interstate commerce, interstate commerce, interstate transportation, rather, in aid of racketeering, discharging a firearm at a school, and the one that involves the murder charges, use of a firearm during commercial of a crime of violence causing death of a person.
Now the reason that there is a stack of charges, because under federal law, capital punishment is only a possibility if, in fact, the alleged murder is conducted while other crimes, other federal crimes, are being committed.
As we pointed out a moment ago, the younger of the two, Malveaux, is not being charged here, because he is a juvenile. That would be a separate proceeding, which would be conducted in secret. The reason that the federal government is moving as it is, is because there were some time restrictions that needed to get these charges in to maintain custody in the face of state charges.
Now, as I said, the hearing is going to be held in a couple of hours. It's scheduled for 3:00 Eastern Time, before magistrate Charles Day, here in Greenbelt, Maryland, which is proximate to the venue, which is Montgomery County, Maryland, which is where the largest number of charges has occurred. Although as we know, there have been charges in Virginia. But the charges here now are put in by the federal government, which will now decide which jurisdiction has the first chance for a trial -- Martin.
SAVIDGE: All right, Bob Franken, joining us live from Maryland. We'll stay in touch with you. Looking forward to that hearing, coming on later on.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Muhammad>
Aired October 29, 2002 - 13:03 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MARTIN SAVDIGE, CNN ANCHOR: Federal charges were filed within the past hour against sniper suspect John Allen Muhammad. Teenager John Lee Malvo, also known as Lee Boyd Malvo, was not named in the federal criminal complaint. The extortion note left for police at one of the shootings apparently figured prominently in the federal charges.
CNN's Bob Franken has the details for us from Greenbelt, Maryland -- Bob.
BOB FRANKEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And as the reason the younger one was not named, Martin, is because he was under 18 years old. His proceedings are being held in secret, in accordance with federal procedures. And as a matter of fact, he can be held as a material witness, we're told by legal sources, for what amounts to an indefinite period of time.
But the older of the two, John Muhammad, has been brought here to Greenbelt, Maryland, where he faces charges at an initial hearing that's going to be held within the next couple of offers -- hours. He was transferred from Baltimore to face a 20-count criminal complaint, not an indictment, but a criminal complaint. And the charges against him include conspiracy to commit offenses against the United States - that's tantamount to a terrorism charge -- conspiracy to affect interstate commerce by extortion and threats of physical violence, conspiracy to, in fact -- to effect interstate commerce by the extortion, as I said, also, actual extortion, and the commission of violence during interstate commerce, interstate commerce, interstate transportation, rather, in aid of racketeering, discharging a firearm at a school, and the one that involves the murder charges, use of a firearm during commercial of a crime of violence causing death of a person.
Now the reason that there is a stack of charges, because under federal law, capital punishment is only a possibility if, in fact, the alleged murder is conducted while other crimes, other federal crimes, are being committed.
As we pointed out a moment ago, the younger of the two, Malveaux, is not being charged here, because he is a juvenile. That would be a separate proceeding, which would be conducted in secret. The reason that the federal government is moving as it is, is because there were some time restrictions that needed to get these charges in to maintain custody in the face of state charges.
Now, as I said, the hearing is going to be held in a couple of hours. It's scheduled for 3:00 Eastern Time, before magistrate Charles Day, here in Greenbelt, Maryland, which is proximate to the venue, which is Montgomery County, Maryland, which is where the largest number of charges has occurred. Although as we know, there have been charges in Virginia. But the charges here now are put in by the federal government, which will now decide which jurisdiction has the first chance for a trial -- Martin.
SAVIDGE: All right, Bob Franken, joining us live from Maryland. We'll stay in touch with you. Looking forward to that hearing, coming on later on.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Muhammad>
