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American Morning
Nathaniel Brazill Sentencing Hearing Today
Aired July 26, 2001 - 10:04 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.
STEPHEN FRAZIER, CNN ANCHOR: In other news, a 14-year-old boy who shot to death his favorite schoolteacher walked into a Florida courtroom this morning with the rest of his life hanging in the balance. Nathaniel Brazill faces at least 25 years in prison. But the family of his victim will try to convince the sentencing judge that that's simply not enough time.
CNN's Mark Potter is in West Palm Beach, where the sentencing hearing is under way right now -- Mark.
MARK POTTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Stephen, as you can imagine, it's been a very sad and touching day here at the Palm Beach County Courthouse at the sentencing hearing for 14-year-old Nathaniel Brazill. Family members and friends of Barry Grunow have been terrifying about his life and about the impact of his death.
Now, we saw Nathaniel Brazill come into court early this morning. He has been sitting here quietly all morning listening to the witnesses. Barry Grunow, of course, the middle school teacher that the then 13-year-old Nathaniel Brazill shot and killed last year in Lake Worth, Florida.
On the stand right now, a sheriff's deputy. A couple of deputies have said that they heard Nathaniel Brazill make inappropriate comments while in custody. The defense has sloughed off those comments, saying that they were simply harmless jokes.
Among those terrifying earlier today in the court was Barry Grunow's widow, Pamela Grunow.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PAM GRUNOW, VICTIM'S WIDOW: I do not know what price Nathaniel should pay for taking Barry's life. I cannot make a recommendation because it is not my job. I do not have the wisdom. I am at a loss and I do not feel I can be objective. I only hope that I can contribute something to this difficult decision. I hope that as a society we can somehow create good out of this sad loss of the public servant and the great guy that I loved.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
POTTER: Now, Pamela Grunow's father, Barry Grunow's father-in- law, also talked to the judge. He said that a great man has been lost and he complained about the apparent lack of remorse on the part of Nathaniel Brazill.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN HLAWKA, VICTIM'S FATHER-IN-LAW: What more he could have accomplished, we'll never know. Now we have a young man failing in his grades, stole a gun from a good friend, broke into his grandmother's house, committed the ultimate crime of murder, then threatened a second person with the stolen gun. Upon being led away by the police, his answer to a journalist's question was, "Me no speakie English," showing no remorse.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
POTTER: Now, another personal who addressed the court was Robert Hatcher. He's the principal at Lake Worth Community Middle School where the shooting occurred last year. He said the school's reputation has been tarnished and that Nathaniel's fellow students there have been deeply affected by all of this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERT HATCHER, PRINCIPAL, LAKE WORTH MIDDLE SCHOOL: We can never let this happen again. I have seen such a loss of innocence of so many children it's just, it's absolutely heartbreaking. The students of Lake Worth Middle School, their families, their teachers, administrators, members of the community, their lives have always, will always remain changed. They'll never be the same.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
POTTER: Now the defense will present its witnesses later today, probably this afternoon. According to attorney Robert Udell, they will include some psychological and educational specialists along with Nathaniel Brazill's parents, who will argue for leniency. Nathaniel Brazill himself is also expected to address the court and according to Attorney Udell will apologize to the Grunow family.
He faces at the very minimum a 25 year prison term but he could be sentenced up to life -- Stephen, back to you.
FRAZIER: Mark, I know you covered the trial. Would this be the first time Nathaniel Brazill has apologized?
POTTER: I believe so. I'm trying to think whether he expressed any feelings like that to the family. He has expressed some regret. But a formal apology, to my knowledge this would be the first time. I could be wrong about that, but to my knowledge, this would be it.
FRAZIER: Thanks for bringing us up to date on the hearing and we'll talk to you later as it continues. Mark Potter reporting today from Florida. Thanks, Mark.
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