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Legal Proceedings in Case of Sniper Suspects Moves Forward

Aired November 05, 2002 - 13:16   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 SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: Legal proceedings in the case of the sniper suspects move forward this afternoon. John Allen Muhammad heads to court in Greenbelt, Maryland in less than an hour from now, one day after his alleged accomplice was ordered held in federal custody.
CNN's Patty Davis is covering the proceedings in Greenbelt. She joins us now live with an update.

Patty,what's happening there today?

PATTY DAVIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Martin, John Muhammad arrived here a couple of hours ago for this hearing. What's happening here today? A detention hearing, not expected to last long. This is Muhammad's third appearance in court since he was arrested nearly two weeks ago. Last week, he was charged in a 20 count federal criminal complaint. The federal government has until Thursday to actually decide or bring an indictment against him on those charges, some of which could bring the death penalty.

Today, Attorney General John Ashcroft reviewing evidence to help him decide just where Muhammad and John Lee Malvo will be tried, will it be Maryland, Virginia, will the federal government bring the case first or turn to Alabama or Louisiana, where both men have been charged with murders in those states? That decision government sources tell CNN Ashcroft expected to make by Thursday of this week.

Now, as you said, John Lee Malvo his 17-year-old alleged accomplice in these sniper killings here in the Washington D.C. area was in court yesterday, also federal court, but in Baltimore. Now a federal judge in that case ordered him detained, but we don't know much more. He's a juvenile, and the judge sealed that case -- Martin.

SAVIDGE: Patty, any indication, any knowledge if these two are now finally cooperating with these two are now finally cooperating with authorities?

DAVIS: Our sources continue to tell us that they are not being cooperative, that Muhammad in fact offered some information, but it really wasn't relevant, not talking much. In fact, we heard that story early on that Malvo had tried to escape. So that's what we have been told up until now -- Martin.

SAVIDGE: And also, on the issue of cooperation, if that's the way to put it, between the feds and state government, is it all rosy in this picture now, or is there a contention? DAVIS: Good question. Maryland definitely says it wants to try this case first, because it feels the people of Montgomery County, where most of the slayings took place, demand to see this case brought before a jury there.

But the attorney general seems to be leaning, we're led to believe, towards Virginia. Virginia has the death penalty for juveniles. Maryland does not. Maryland doesn't prosecute, doesn't use the death penalty as much as Virginia does, but there's's the wildcard, Alabama, it also puts juveniles to death. So perhaps they could get this case first. Not necessarily a rosy picture, but they are talking at least. Ashcroft meeting today trying to decide where exactly to go next.

BLITZER: And this Thursday deadline, how important is that?

DAVIS: Thursday deadline, there's two Thursday deadlines in fact. The federal government has to bring an indictment against Muhammad by Thursday. Otherwise, they have to have a preliminary hearing. In that preliminary hearing, I'm told they would have to present evidence, and they don't want to have to do that point. So they believe that they will indict him by Thursday on the federal criminal complaint, those 20 counts which could bring the death penalty.

As for Ashcroft, we're hearing that Ashcroft will make the decision by Thursday as to which jurisdiction to place this case in first -- Martin.could bring the death penalty. Ashcroft will make the decision by Thursday as to which jurisdiction to place this case in first -- Martin.

BLITZER: As always, Patty Davis, thanks for the answers, live from Greenbelt, Maryland.

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




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Aired November 5, 2002 - 13:16   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: Legal proceedings in the case of the sniper suspects move forward this afternoon. John Allen Muhammad heads to court in Greenbelt, Maryland in less than an hour from now, one day after his alleged accomplice was ordered held in federal custody.
CNN's Patty Davis is covering the proceedings in Greenbelt. She joins us now live with an update.

Patty,what's happening there today?

PATTY DAVIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Martin, John Muhammad arrived here a couple of hours ago for this hearing. What's happening here today? A detention hearing, not expected to last long. This is Muhammad's third appearance in court since he was arrested nearly two weeks ago. Last week, he was charged in a 20 count federal criminal complaint. The federal government has until Thursday to actually decide or bring an indictment against him on those charges, some of which could bring the death penalty.

Today, Attorney General John Ashcroft reviewing evidence to help him decide just where Muhammad and John Lee Malvo will be tried, will it be Maryland, Virginia, will the federal government bring the case first or turn to Alabama or Louisiana, where both men have been charged with murders in those states? That decision government sources tell CNN Ashcroft expected to make by Thursday of this week.

Now, as you said, John Lee Malvo his 17-year-old alleged accomplice in these sniper killings here in the Washington D.C. area was in court yesterday, also federal court, but in Baltimore. Now a federal judge in that case ordered him detained, but we don't know much more. He's a juvenile, and the judge sealed that case -- Martin.

SAVIDGE: Patty, any indication, any knowledge if these two are now finally cooperating with these two are now finally cooperating with authorities?

DAVIS: Our sources continue to tell us that they are not being cooperative, that Muhammad in fact offered some information, but it really wasn't relevant, not talking much. In fact, we heard that story early on that Malvo had tried to escape. So that's what we have been told up until now -- Martin.

SAVIDGE: And also, on the issue of cooperation, if that's the way to put it, between the feds and state government, is it all rosy in this picture now, or is there a contention? DAVIS: Good question. Maryland definitely says it wants to try this case first, because it feels the people of Montgomery County, where most of the slayings took place, demand to see this case brought before a jury there.

But the attorney general seems to be leaning, we're led to believe, towards Virginia. Virginia has the death penalty for juveniles. Maryland does not. Maryland doesn't prosecute, doesn't use the death penalty as much as Virginia does, but there's's the wildcard, Alabama, it also puts juveniles to death. So perhaps they could get this case first. Not necessarily a rosy picture, but they are talking at least. Ashcroft meeting today trying to decide where exactly to go next.

BLITZER: And this Thursday deadline, how important is that?

DAVIS: Thursday deadline, there's two Thursday deadlines in fact. The federal government has to bring an indictment against Muhammad by Thursday. Otherwise, they have to have a preliminary hearing. In that preliminary hearing, I'm told they would have to present evidence, and they don't want to have to do that point. So they believe that they will indict him by Thursday on the federal criminal complaint, those 20 counts which could bring the death penalty.

As for Ashcroft, we're hearing that Ashcroft will make the decision by Thursday as to which jurisdiction to place this case in first -- Martin.could bring the death penalty. Ashcroft will make the decision by Thursday as to which jurisdiction to place this case in first -- Martin.

BLITZER: As always, Patty Davis, thanks for the answers, live from Greenbelt, Maryland.

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




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