Return to Transcripts main page

American Morning

Sniper Trials: John Muhammad's Case

Aired October 22, 2003 - 07:11   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: Another survivor of the D.C.-area sniper shootings may testify today in the murder trial of John Muhammad. Yesterday, Muhammad came face to face with Paul LaRuffa, who was robbed and shot six times on September 5 of last year. Muhammad, who is acting as his own lawyer, began his cross-examination by of LaRuffa by saying I'm not asking these questions to be disrespectful. I understand how you feel when your life is on the line.
Gregory Wims is the head of the Victims' Rights Foundation, and he is offering support for loved ones of those who were killed or wounded in the shootings. And he joins us this morning from Virginia Beach.

It's nice to see you. Thanks for joining us.

GREGORY WIMS, VICTIMS' RIGHTS FOUNDATION: Good morning.

O'BRIEN: You've had an opportunity to talk, I know, to many of the family members, and you're keeping in touch with them consistently. This must be incredibly difficult for them to witness this and hear the reports as well. How are they doing in these last two days of testimony? Give me a characterization, for the most part, of how the family members are holding up?

WIMS: They're holding up, but it's very difficult. On Sunday, just three days ago, we had a prayer vigil for the Conrad Johnson family, and they were pretty strong. They were looking forward to coming to Virginia Beach. But after being in the courtroom and then seeing the accused defending himself, it's been very tough.

And I just got off the phone, literally, about eight minutes ago, with Nelson Rivera (ph), whose wife was killed at a gas station back last October. And he told me he had to go back home. So, it's very difficult, and we're asking the community to just pray for these families, for these victims.

O'BRIEN: He had to go back home because he could not manage to make it through the testimony, is that what you're saying?

WIMS: Well, no, it wasn't that. It was so emotional being in the courtroom, hearing the testimony. And then, as you know, they showed the picture of Mr. Meyers as he was laying there shot and died at the station. And those brought back memories for not only Mr. Rivera (ph), but for Ms. Johnson and all of the other victims' families that are there, because they thought, of course, of their loved ones. Because, as you know, one year ago today, Mr. Conrad Johnson, the bus driver, was the last to be killed, and the whole family -- it all came back to them yesterday in the courtroom.

O'BRIEN: We can only imagine. I know that you've been in touch as well with the family of 13-year-old Iran Brown, who survived the shooting. He was the young man who was shot and injured, but survived. How is his family doing, and how is he doing?

WIMS: First of all, let me say, it is a miracle that he survived. He's about 95 percent cured. He went to camp this summer for two weeks away from his family. That sort of gives you an indication of how he's doing.

Of course, being here -- and his family is here now -- this is going to be very tough for him and his family, again, to be in the courtroom to see the testimony of the others. But, again, that little boy is a miracle.

And I would say this: That all during the spree last October, that one incident, where the little boy survived -- as I call him "little Mr. Brown" is the way I describe him -- that gave encouragement to all of the other victims who had lost a loved one, because some of them had gotten angry. They had gotten angry at God. But when they saw that that little boy survived, it renewed their faith. And this is the faith that's keeping them through this trial.

O'BRIEN: John Muhammad has been interviewing witnesses on the stand. What's been the reaction from family members to that?

WIMS: It's been horrifying. Last night, as I worked the phones -- because there are about nine different families here, about 42 people all together. They couldn't believe it on Monday, when it was announced that he would defend himself. And as one family member said, they said it's ironic that you have a cold-blooded murderer trying to pretend that he's the nice guy, the gentleman, the lawyer defending himself. And I think that says it all.

Most of them feel that way, and it's just horrifying to see him parading as this very nice professional gentleman who is innocent in his mind.

O'BRIEN: Gregory Wims is with the Victims' Rights Foundation. Thanks for joining us this morning from Virginia Beach. We certainly appreciate your time.

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 22, 2003 - 07:11   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Another survivor of the D.C.-area sniper shootings may testify today in the murder trial of John Muhammad. Yesterday, Muhammad came face to face with Paul LaRuffa, who was robbed and shot six times on September 5 of last year. Muhammad, who is acting as his own lawyer, began his cross-examination by of LaRuffa by saying I'm not asking these questions to be disrespectful. I understand how you feel when your life is on the line.
Gregory Wims is the head of the Victims' Rights Foundation, and he is offering support for loved ones of those who were killed or wounded in the shootings. And he joins us this morning from Virginia Beach.

It's nice to see you. Thanks for joining us.

GREGORY WIMS, VICTIMS' RIGHTS FOUNDATION: Good morning.

O'BRIEN: You've had an opportunity to talk, I know, to many of the family members, and you're keeping in touch with them consistently. This must be incredibly difficult for them to witness this and hear the reports as well. How are they doing in these last two days of testimony? Give me a characterization, for the most part, of how the family members are holding up?

WIMS: They're holding up, but it's very difficult. On Sunday, just three days ago, we had a prayer vigil for the Conrad Johnson family, and they were pretty strong. They were looking forward to coming to Virginia Beach. But after being in the courtroom and then seeing the accused defending himself, it's been very tough.

And I just got off the phone, literally, about eight minutes ago, with Nelson Rivera (ph), whose wife was killed at a gas station back last October. And he told me he had to go back home. So, it's very difficult, and we're asking the community to just pray for these families, for these victims.

O'BRIEN: He had to go back home because he could not manage to make it through the testimony, is that what you're saying?

WIMS: Well, no, it wasn't that. It was so emotional being in the courtroom, hearing the testimony. And then, as you know, they showed the picture of Mr. Meyers as he was laying there shot and died at the station. And those brought back memories for not only Mr. Rivera (ph), but for Ms. Johnson and all of the other victims' families that are there, because they thought, of course, of their loved ones. Because, as you know, one year ago today, Mr. Conrad Johnson, the bus driver, was the last to be killed, and the whole family -- it all came back to them yesterday in the courtroom.

O'BRIEN: We can only imagine. I know that you've been in touch as well with the family of 13-year-old Iran Brown, who survived the shooting. He was the young man who was shot and injured, but survived. How is his family doing, and how is he doing?

WIMS: First of all, let me say, it is a miracle that he survived. He's about 95 percent cured. He went to camp this summer for two weeks away from his family. That sort of gives you an indication of how he's doing.

Of course, being here -- and his family is here now -- this is going to be very tough for him and his family, again, to be in the courtroom to see the testimony of the others. But, again, that little boy is a miracle.

And I would say this: That all during the spree last October, that one incident, where the little boy survived -- as I call him "little Mr. Brown" is the way I describe him -- that gave encouragement to all of the other victims who had lost a loved one, because some of them had gotten angry. They had gotten angry at God. But when they saw that that little boy survived, it renewed their faith. And this is the faith that's keeping them through this trial.

O'BRIEN: John Muhammad has been interviewing witnesses on the stand. What's been the reaction from family members to that?

WIMS: It's been horrifying. Last night, as I worked the phones -- because there are about nine different families here, about 42 people all together. They couldn't believe it on Monday, when it was announced that he would defend himself. And as one family member said, they said it's ironic that you have a cold-blooded murderer trying to pretend that he's the nice guy, the gentleman, the lawyer defending himself. And I think that says it all.

Most of them feel that way, and it's just horrifying to see him parading as this very nice professional gentleman who is innocent in his mind.

O'BRIEN: Gregory Wims is with the Victims' Rights Foundation. Thanks for joining us this morning from Virginia Beach. We certainly appreciate your time.

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