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Attoneys Begin Closing Arguments In Windshield Murder Trial
Aired June 27, 2003 - 13:00 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.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: First this hour, Chante Mallard is facing the music and a Texas jury is facing a test of justice. You'll remember this from yesterday, a guilty verdict in less than an hour, followed by a tearful apology. A murder conviction for hitting a man with a car, then refusing to call for assistance as the life slipped away.
Now, the hard part for the jury, deciding the price that Mallard will pay, for a series of fatal decisions. CNN's Ed Lavandera standing by with the latest from Fort Worth, Texas -- Ed.
ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi Kyra. Well what the defense and the prosecution have rested all of their testimony, and the punishment phase of this trial. They will come back in two hours and present their closing arguments to this jury. Then the jury will have its time to decide what the punishment for Chaste Mallard will be. And that's wide range of punishment, anywhere between 5 to 99 years or life in prison.
There's an outside chance for parole. Many people here in Fort Worth think it's just not likely. Given the way Chante Mallard's family testified during this punishment phase, and the way Chante Mallard testified as well, who said she deserves to be punish punished, and sent to prison. All of her family is prepared for some sort of prison sentence. The question is, in their minds, just how long it will be.
Chante Mallard spent two hours on the witness stand, on about a dozen occasions saying that she didn't know what to do. That she panicked and became hysterical after driving into Greg Biggs.
That was two hours yesterday. But the last person the jury heard today was Brandon Biggs, the 20-year-old son of Greg Biggs.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRANDON BIGGS, GREG BIGGS' SON: I'll never get to be a part of -- he was not a part of my high school graduation. Because he had been killed. He was not here for Father's Day. He'll not be here to see me get married. And he'll not be here to watch me grow old.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LAVANDERA: So, Kyra, here the jury is at a lunch break. They will come back, present their closing arguments. The attorney's working out just exactly how much time they will be given to present those arguments as well. And then that jury will go back to the jury room and begin their deliberations -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Ed Lavandera, we'll check in with you then. Thanks so much.
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 June 27, 2003 - 13:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: First this hour, Chante Mallard is facing the music and a Texas jury is facing a test of justice. You'll remember this from yesterday, a guilty verdict in less than an hour, followed by a tearful apology. A murder conviction for hitting a man with a car, then refusing to call for assistance as the life slipped away.
Now, the hard part for the jury, deciding the price that Mallard will pay, for a series of fatal decisions. CNN's Ed Lavandera standing by with the latest from Fort Worth, Texas -- Ed.
ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi Kyra. Well what the defense and the prosecution have rested all of their testimony, and the punishment phase of this trial. They will come back in two hours and present their closing arguments to this jury. Then the jury will have its time to decide what the punishment for Chaste Mallard will be. And that's wide range of punishment, anywhere between 5 to 99 years or life in prison.
There's an outside chance for parole. Many people here in Fort Worth think it's just not likely. Given the way Chante Mallard's family testified during this punishment phase, and the way Chante Mallard testified as well, who said she deserves to be punish punished, and sent to prison. All of her family is prepared for some sort of prison sentence. The question is, in their minds, just how long it will be.
Chante Mallard spent two hours on the witness stand, on about a dozen occasions saying that she didn't know what to do. That she panicked and became hysterical after driving into Greg Biggs.
That was two hours yesterday. But the last person the jury heard today was Brandon Biggs, the 20-year-old son of Greg Biggs.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRANDON BIGGS, GREG BIGGS' SON: I'll never get to be a part of -- he was not a part of my high school graduation. Because he had been killed. He was not here for Father's Day. He'll not be here to see me get married. And he'll not be here to watch me grow old.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LAVANDERA: So, Kyra, here the jury is at a lunch break. They will come back, present their closing arguments. The attorney's working out just exactly how much time they will be given to present those arguments as well. And then that jury will go back to the jury room and begin their deliberations -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Ed Lavandera, we'll check in with you then. Thanks so much.
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>
