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Green River Killer Speaks

Aired December 18, 2003 - 15:06   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.


MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: We were in Seattle, Washington, listening to that dramatic statement from the bench, King County Superior Judge Richard Jones. That hearing continues, sentencing for Gary Leon Ridgway, the so-called Green River killer.
Let's check in with Kimberly Osias, who has been covering this for us.

Kimberly, that was a dramatic moment, to say the least. Kimberly, are you there?

KIMBERLY OSIAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Indeed, it was dramatic, Miles.

In fact, what was surprising, many investigators close to this case did not expect to hear from Gary Ridgway himself, even though that is, in fact, what was planned. There are family members that have been waiting so long for this moment to come, 21 years, in fact. They had been clutching each other, clutches photographs of their loved ones. They, of course, got up in open court and faced Gary Ridgway.

And what has been so dramatic was, the judge said: Turn around. Turn around, Mr. Ridgway, and look at the faces, look at the faces of the families, of the lives that you've ruined.

Let's take a listen to what Gary Ridgway had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GARY LEON RIDGWAY, DEFENDANT: I have tried for a long time to get these things out of my mind. I've tried for a long time to keep from killing any ladies.

I'm sorry that I have put my wife, my son, my brothers and my family through this hell. I hope that they can find a way to forgive me. I'm very sorry for the ladies that were not found. May they rest in peace. They need a better place than where I gave them. I'm sorry for killing these ladies. They had their whole lives ahead of them. I'm sorry for causing so much pain to so many families.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

OSIAS: What is absolutely surprising is, this was the first time we have seen a break in the prior stony and steely-faced Gary Ridgway, the first time that he's truly broken down and shown any signs of contrition. The investigators that I spoke with said they had not seen any traces of that before.

What is also interesting, Miles, these family members that got up and spoke of their heart, what has been on their minds psychologically for all this time, several of them actually forgave him.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Ridgway, there are people here that hate you. I'm not one of them. I forgive you for what you've done. You've made it difficult to live up to what I believe. And that is what God says to do. And that's to forgive. And he doesn't say to forgive just certain people. He says to forgive all. So you are forgiven, sir.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

OSIAS: Dramatic, indeed.

Gary Ridgway has been sentenced by the judge to life behind bars without parole. He will be held in isolation.

Reporting live from Seattle, Kimberly Osias -- back to you, Miles.

O'BRIEN: Kimberly, what is the general consensus? And I'm sure it's probably all over the map, but I want to ask anyway. What is the feeling there about this plea-bargain deal? Prosecutors essentially precluding the death penalty in exchange for the confessions and closure, if that's a word, for these 48 cases, do people feel that's the right course there?

OSIAS: That's exactly right.

Obviously, Miles, closure is a long process. Essentially, they did trade. Prosecutors traded the execution of Gary Ridgway for answers. And they said they simply would never have been able to find the bodies of these women because of the victimology.

Now, it is controversial, because a lot of families say it wasn't enough. If such a heinous killer like this doesn't get death, well, then who? So split feelings in the family members I spoke to. Obviously, you're going to find people on either side of this issue -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: Kimberly Osias in Seattle, an emotional day there.

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 December 18, 2003 - 15:06   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: We were in Seattle, Washington, listening to that dramatic statement from the bench, King County Superior Judge Richard Jones. That hearing continues, sentencing for Gary Leon Ridgway, the so-called Green River killer.
Let's check in with Kimberly Osias, who has been covering this for us.

Kimberly, that was a dramatic moment, to say the least. Kimberly, are you there?

KIMBERLY OSIAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Indeed, it was dramatic, Miles.

In fact, what was surprising, many investigators close to this case did not expect to hear from Gary Ridgway himself, even though that is, in fact, what was planned. There are family members that have been waiting so long for this moment to come, 21 years, in fact. They had been clutching each other, clutches photographs of their loved ones. They, of course, got up in open court and faced Gary Ridgway.

And what has been so dramatic was, the judge said: Turn around. Turn around, Mr. Ridgway, and look at the faces, look at the faces of the families, of the lives that you've ruined.

Let's take a listen to what Gary Ridgway had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GARY LEON RIDGWAY, DEFENDANT: I have tried for a long time to get these things out of my mind. I've tried for a long time to keep from killing any ladies.

I'm sorry that I have put my wife, my son, my brothers and my family through this hell. I hope that they can find a way to forgive me. I'm very sorry for the ladies that were not found. May they rest in peace. They need a better place than where I gave them. I'm sorry for killing these ladies. They had their whole lives ahead of them. I'm sorry for causing so much pain to so many families.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

OSIAS: What is absolutely surprising is, this was the first time we have seen a break in the prior stony and steely-faced Gary Ridgway, the first time that he's truly broken down and shown any signs of contrition. The investigators that I spoke with said they had not seen any traces of that before.

What is also interesting, Miles, these family members that got up and spoke of their heart, what has been on their minds psychologically for all this time, several of them actually forgave him.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Ridgway, there are people here that hate you. I'm not one of them. I forgive you for what you've done. You've made it difficult to live up to what I believe. And that is what God says to do. And that's to forgive. And he doesn't say to forgive just certain people. He says to forgive all. So you are forgiven, sir.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

OSIAS: Dramatic, indeed.

Gary Ridgway has been sentenced by the judge to life behind bars without parole. He will be held in isolation.

Reporting live from Seattle, Kimberly Osias -- back to you, Miles.

O'BRIEN: Kimberly, what is the general consensus? And I'm sure it's probably all over the map, but I want to ask anyway. What is the feeling there about this plea-bargain deal? Prosecutors essentially precluding the death penalty in exchange for the confessions and closure, if that's a word, for these 48 cases, do people feel that's the right course there?

OSIAS: That's exactly right.

Obviously, Miles, closure is a long process. Essentially, they did trade. Prosecutors traded the execution of Gary Ridgway for answers. And they said they simply would never have been able to find the bodies of these women because of the victimology.

Now, it is controversial, because a lot of families say it wasn't enough. If such a heinous killer like this doesn't get death, well, then who? So split feelings in the family members I spoke to. Obviously, you're going to find people on either side of this issue -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: Kimberly Osias in Seattle, an emotional day there.

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