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American Morning

West Palm Beach Jury to See Videotape of Alleged School Shooting

Aired May 03, 2001 - 09:05   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.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We turn now from the campus to the courthouse. Jurors are expected to be shown video today of a teenage boy shooting and killing his teacher. CNN's Mark Potter is covering the Florida trial. He joins us now from West Palm Beach.

Mark, good morning.

MARK POTTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn.

Well, the second day of trial has just gotten under way here at the Palm Beach County Courthouse. They're going to have some witnesses to the shooting testify before the jury. And, as you said, they're going to show that videotape today. It was shot by a school security camera.

Now, in the courtroom right now, they're dealing with a few preliminary matters. They're expecting to bring the jury in, in just a few minutes and the day of trial will then resume.

To review: 14-year-old Nathaniel Brazill is charged with first- degree murder for shooting to death one of his teachers, 35-year-old Barry Grunow, at Lake Worth Community Middle School last year. Prosecutors say that shooting was intentional. The defense say -- the defense attorneys say the gun went off accidentally, that the boy did not intend to kill his teacher.

Some of Nathaniel's classmates testified yesterday about how he cocked and fired that pistol at Mr. Grunow's head.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You know how, on TV, they'll pull it back and then they'll shoot it? He did that first and then he waited, like, three seconds and then he shot him.

VONAE WARE, CLASSMATE: He fell to the ground and then he started shaking. And he just started bleeding.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

POTTER: Now, the defense concedes that Nathaniel Brazill committed some sort of crime here. And in an interview before the trial, they argued, however, that it was not first-degree murder. The prosecution says it was first-degree murder. Of course, that will be up to the jury to decide.

The most dramatic moments in this trial will come probably midweek next week when Nathaniel Brazill himself is expected to take the witness stand in his own defense. The defense attorneys say he is, by far, their best witness. Of course, that means he'll also have to face strong cross-examination from the prosecution -- Daryn, back to you.

KAGAN: Mark Potter in West Palm Beach, thank you.

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