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American Morning

Murder Trial Begins for 14-Year-Old Accused of Shooting Florida Teacher

Aired May 02, 2001 - 11:08   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.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Opening statements are under way in the Florida murder trial of Nathaniel Brazill. He is a 14-year-old accused of fatally shooting his teacher last spring. If convicted of first-degree murder, the teenager could get life in prison without parole.

Joining us now from West Palm Beach, Florida, with more is CNN's Mark Potter -- Mark, good morning.

MARK POTTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Leon.

We've actually moved on a little bit now past opening statements. We're now hearing testimony in the case of 14-year-old Nathaniel Brazill who's accused of shooting to death one of his teachers on the last day of school last year in Lake Worth, Florida. Jurors are hearing from some of the classmates who witnessed the shooting.

As you said, this is a very serious case for this young man. He's only 14, but if convicted of first-degree murder, he would face life in prison without parole.

This morning, in the opening statements, the prosecutors said that Nathaniel intended to kill Language Arts teacher Barry Grunow because he was angry over a failing grade and because he had been suspended from school that day for throwing water balloons. He shot Mr. Grunow in the face with a handgun.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARC SHINER, ASSISTANT STATE ATTORNEY: The facts in this case will show that he's the one that took it and he should be responsible. He pulled the trigger. He pulled the slide back. He made the conscious intent to kill. What else could he have been thinking of?

And the evidence will show he wanted to kill Mr. Grunow. He didn't want to scare him. Had his finger on the trigger, pulled the slide back. The gun was doubly ready to be fired. He had it pointed right at his head. This gun didn't drop. The evidence isn't going to show anything like that. This gun didn't malfunction.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

POTTER: Now the defense said that the killing was not intentional and that the gun went off accidentally. The reason that Nathaniel pointed the gun at Mr. Grunow in the first place, according to the defense, is that he wanted to see two girls in Mr. Grunow's classroom, and he wanted to make sure that Mr. Grunow, his teacher, took his demand seriously.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LANCE RICHARD, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Nathaniel Brazill admired Mr. Grunow. He loved him as a teacher. Mr. Grunow was one of his favorites. He liked him as a friend. The evidence will show and Mr. Udell and I will prove to you that there was never any ill will between Nathaniel Brazill and Barry Grunow.

There was never any plan to harm him, there is no intent to kill him, not when he left the school, not when he went back to his house, not when he returned to school, not even when he pulled the gun out.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

POTTER: Now this trial is expected to take about two weeks. After hearing from the classmates, the jurors will then see a videotape of the shooting shot by a school security camera.

And then toward the end of the trial, the jurors are expected to hear from Nathaniel Brazill himself who is -- who will take the witness stand in his own defense -- Leon, back to you.

HARRIS: All right. Thanks much. Mark Potter reporting live. We'll get back to you later on.

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