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American Morning
Fate of Accused D.C.-Area Sniper Suspect John Muhammad Almost in Hands of Jury
Aired November 13, 2003 - 08:04 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.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: The fate of accused D.C. area sniper suspect John Muhammad almost in the hands of the jury. That may come this afternoon. Closing arguments are scheduled for today. Meanwhile, a few miles away, 15, in fact, a jury is now in place, ready to hear the case of Muhammad's alleged accomplice, 18-year-old Lee Boyd Malvo.
From Chesapeake, Virginia, here's Patty Davis there this morning -- Patty, good morning.
PATTY DAVIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, good morning, Bill.
That jury is made up of nine women and seven men and they will hear opening statements today. Those jurors range from homemakers to ministers to mechanics.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAVIS (voice-over): Eighteen-year-old Lee Boyd Malvo is charged with the murder of FBI analyst Linda Franklin outside a Home Depot in Falls Church, Virginia. Prosecutors say they plan to present evidence that Malvo pulled the trigger in many of the other sniper style killings, as well.
ROBERT HORAN, PROSECUTING ATTORNEY: I owe something to all those dead people, to see that they get justice in this case.
DAVIS: Perhaps the prosecution's most compelling evidence, Malvo's alleged confessions about many of the crimes. Malvo's fingerprints and DNA are also on the Bushmaster rifle. His lawyers plan an insanity defense, saying Malvo's actions were controlled by his alleged accomplice, John Muhammad, whom he turned to after being abandoned by his mother.
CRAIG COOLEY, MALVO'S ATTORNEY: If you see him now, you should have seen him when Mr. Muhammad took him in. He was much smaller and probably that made him that much more of a target and that much more vulnerable.
DAVIS: They plan to call several of Malvo's relatives to testify and have subpoenaed Muhammad, too.
In court, the young sniper suspect, dressed casually in a sweater and starched white shirt, smiles, talks with his lawyers and one day sketched his own scene of the courtroom, the courtroom where he will eventually learn his fate. (END VIDEOTAPE)
DAVIS: Malvo could get the death penalty if convicted of capital murder or of violating Virginia's anti-terrorism law -- Bill.
HEMMER: Patty Davis, thanks, live in Chesapeake following that case.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Almost in Hands of Jury>
Aired November 13, 2003 - 08:04 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: The fate of accused D.C. area sniper suspect John Muhammad almost in the hands of the jury. That may come this afternoon. Closing arguments are scheduled for today. Meanwhile, a few miles away, 15, in fact, a jury is now in place, ready to hear the case of Muhammad's alleged accomplice, 18-year-old Lee Boyd Malvo.
From Chesapeake, Virginia, here's Patty Davis there this morning -- Patty, good morning.
PATTY DAVIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, good morning, Bill.
That jury is made up of nine women and seven men and they will hear opening statements today. Those jurors range from homemakers to ministers to mechanics.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAVIS (voice-over): Eighteen-year-old Lee Boyd Malvo is charged with the murder of FBI analyst Linda Franklin outside a Home Depot in Falls Church, Virginia. Prosecutors say they plan to present evidence that Malvo pulled the trigger in many of the other sniper style killings, as well.
ROBERT HORAN, PROSECUTING ATTORNEY: I owe something to all those dead people, to see that they get justice in this case.
DAVIS: Perhaps the prosecution's most compelling evidence, Malvo's alleged confessions about many of the crimes. Malvo's fingerprints and DNA are also on the Bushmaster rifle. His lawyers plan an insanity defense, saying Malvo's actions were controlled by his alleged accomplice, John Muhammad, whom he turned to after being abandoned by his mother.
CRAIG COOLEY, MALVO'S ATTORNEY: If you see him now, you should have seen him when Mr. Muhammad took him in. He was much smaller and probably that made him that much more of a target and that much more vulnerable.
DAVIS: They plan to call several of Malvo's relatives to testify and have subpoenaed Muhammad, too.
In court, the young sniper suspect, dressed casually in a sweater and starched white shirt, smiles, talks with his lawyers and one day sketched his own scene of the courtroom, the courtroom where he will eventually learn his fate. (END VIDEOTAPE)
DAVIS: Malvo could get the death penalty if convicted of capital murder or of violating Virginia's anti-terrorism law -- Bill.
HEMMER: Patty Davis, thanks, live in Chesapeake following that case.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Almost in Hands of Jury>
