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Both D.C. Area Sniper Suspects Will be in Virginia Courtroom

Aired October 07, 2003 - 07:38   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.


SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, both the D.C. area sniper suspects will be in a Virginia courtroom today. The judge has some decisions to make before the murder trial of John Allen Muhammad, including whether Lee Boyd Malvo will testify against him.
Jeanne Meserve is live for us in Manassas, Virginia -- good morning to you, Jeanne.

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Soledad.

You'll remember that there was a discussion about this last week when Malvo and Muhammad appeared in the same courtroom for the first time since their arrest. Twice Malvo was asked questions about John Muhammad. Twice he invoked the fifth amendment. The judge suggested that prosecutors write out the questions they have for Malvo with an explanation of why they would not be incriminating. It is those that will be discussed today. We do expect both Muhammad and Malvo to once again be in the courtroom.

Also expected to be taken up today, a book that was released last week written by two "Washington Post" reporters. It's entitled "Sniper" and prosecutors -- excuse me, defense attorneys say that there is a lot of information in this book apparently given to the reporters that was not given to the defense as part of the discovery in this trial. The defense attorneys called that outrageous. They have filed a motion for the case to be dismissed because of this. That also will be taken up today.

All of this just one week before the trial against John Allen Muhammad begins in Virginia Beach, Virginia -- Soledad, back to you.

O'BRIEN: All right, Jeanne Meserve for us this morning in Manassas.

Jeanne, thanks.

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 October 7, 2003 - 07:38   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, both the D.C. area sniper suspects will be in a Virginia courtroom today. The judge has some decisions to make before the murder trial of John Allen Muhammad, including whether Lee Boyd Malvo will testify against him.
Jeanne Meserve is live for us in Manassas, Virginia -- good morning to you, Jeanne.

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Soledad.

You'll remember that there was a discussion about this last week when Malvo and Muhammad appeared in the same courtroom for the first time since their arrest. Twice Malvo was asked questions about John Muhammad. Twice he invoked the fifth amendment. The judge suggested that prosecutors write out the questions they have for Malvo with an explanation of why they would not be incriminating. It is those that will be discussed today. We do expect both Muhammad and Malvo to once again be in the courtroom.

Also expected to be taken up today, a book that was released last week written by two "Washington Post" reporters. It's entitled "Sniper" and prosecutors -- excuse me, defense attorneys say that there is a lot of information in this book apparently given to the reporters that was not given to the defense as part of the discovery in this trial. The defense attorneys called that outrageous. They have filed a motion for the case to be dismissed because of this. That also will be taken up today.

All of this just one week before the trial against John Allen Muhammad begins in Virginia Beach, Virginia -- Soledad, back to you.

O'BRIEN: All right, Jeanne Meserve for us this morning in Manassas.

Jeanne, thanks.

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