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American Morning

Jury Deliberates Fate of Florida Teenager

Aired May 15, 2001 - 09:06   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.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: A Florida jury is deciding the fate of a teenager accused in the shooting death of his teacher. Jury deliberations were set to resume at this hour.

Our Mark Potter is live in West Palm Beach at the courthouse where he has been covering the story for us -- Mark, good morning.

MARK POTTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning Daryn.

As you said, this jury is beginning its day here at the Palm Beach County courthouse. It must go through the testimony and the evidence and the law and then determine the fate of 14-year-old Nathaniel Brazill.

Now the jury got this case late yesterday afternoon after listening to almost a day of closing arguments by the attorneys. The jurors met for three hours and then went home last night. This jury is not sequestered.

Now Nathaniel Brazill is charged with first-degree murder for the shooting death of teacher Barry Grunow last year in Lake Worth. The prosecutor said it was an intentional shooting. The defense claims that it was an accident.

Now at Lake Worth Community Middle School where the shooting occurred, teachers and students are watching closely for this verdict. Counselors -- or extra counselors are standing by in case any of the students want to talk to somebody. This has been a very tough year at that school.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERT HATCHER, LAKE WORTH MIDDLE SCHOOL: I think kids have gone through a lot this year. None of them deserved to have to grow up as fast as they did. That was forced on them, and I think it's important for them, as well as us, the adults here, not to forget that they are children, and there are child issues and, you know, we're going to do what we can to make them comfortable.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

POTTER: Robert Hatcher, the principal of Lake Worth Community Middle School, where a number of the students -- were witnesses in this trial. In the year since the shooting, school officials have instituted extra security measures, but they are concentrating their efforts on conflict resolution and violence prevention.

Meanwhile, back here at the courthouse, the jurors have a number of options before them, and Nathaniel is charged with first-degree murder, but the jury can consider lesser charges, including second- degree murder and manslaughter. Manslaughter, by the way, is the charge recommended by the defense -- Daryn, back to you.

KAGAN: Mark, looking over a number of those choices that the jury has, it seems like -- like the jury has to decide about intent, that they can decide that Nathaniel Brazill is guilty but that he didn't exactly intend to kill Mr. Grunow.

POTTER: Yeah, that's -- you're exactly right. That's the core of this trial. The core argument. Did he intend to kill the teacher, or was it an accident? And there are a number of charges that take into account the fact that a killing occurred and that -- and that Nathaniel did it but does not require the jury to find intent, and that's the big argument that they're going to have wrestle with, and that's the difference between first-degree murder and the other lesser charges that are before them.

KAGAN: We will leave you to monitor the situation in West Palm Beach. Mark Potter, thank you.

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