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American Morning

Malvo Gets Life

Aired December 24, 2003 - 09:15   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.


FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: So what was it really like to be in that jury room deciding whether Malvo should be sentenced to death or given life in prison. We're joined now from Chesapeake, Virginia by Shelby Thornton. She's a juror who said she favored the death penalty.
Miss Thornton, good morning, thanks for being with us.

SHELBY THORNTON, MALVO TRIAL JUROR: Good morning.

WHITFIELD: Give me a sense of what it was like to be in that jury room. Obviously, as we've been hearing all morning, the jurors were very divided. Was it contentious? Was it yelling? Was it screaming? Was it calm debate? What was it like?

THORNTON: Well, I think that we're all grown adults. There was no yelling and screaming. There was some disagreement, and there was some tension, but I think that we all handled ourselves with respect for each other, and each other's opinions.

WHITFIELD: How did the numbers break down? What was the percentage, essentially, that wanted him to be put to death? And what was the percentage that felt that, in fact, his life should be spared?

THORNTON: I think originally it was 7-5, but in the end we all made the unanimous decision. So I have to answer that at the end, it was 12-0.

WHITFIELD: So 7-5 meaning seven people wanted him put to death, and five weren't?

THORNTON: Yes.

WHITFIELD: So, how did that shift happen? To some degree, of course, your position on the death penalty, and you all would know, having sat through such emotional testimony, how were you able to come around to a completely different position than, as you say today, you started with, that you hold?

THORNTON: I think for every one of us, it was different. There are a lot of things that I considered. I think one of the major things for me was that in the pictures, and the letters that Lee Malvo wrote, he wanted to die for his cause. He wanted to die in the name of Allah. That was his mission. And I think I get a small amount of satisfaction, well I guess what little could be had, that he's going to have to spend the next 70, 80 years of his life in prison, thinking about the enormous pain and devastation he's caused all the victims. WHITFIELD: Earlier this morning, we spoke with a juror, the youngest juror, and she said that she felt, to some degree, that the older jurors, maybe didn't listen to her side, because she seemed to think of her age, that her opinion was a little bit steamrolled. Did you feel any pressure from the other jurors during that two days of deliberation? Did you feel that your voice wasn't heard? And I guess I'm asking at the end of it, did you feel you were voting for life in prison, when actually your heart said no, he deserves to die?

THORNTON: I think that's a two-part question. To the first answer, I felt like they heard me. I can honestly say that. I'm very vocal, and like I said, according to me, I can't speak for the youngest member, but I felt like they heard what I had to say, and they didn't have to agree with it. But I listened to what they had to say.

And in the end, I think we all just basically came to the decision that some of us believed that he should be put to death for his crimes, and some people believed he should have life. And we unanimously decided to give him life. And I think that's about all I can say about that.

WHITFIELD: Shelby all right. Well, Shelby Thornton, we appreciate your time. Obviously, this was a tough, tough case to have to even listen to all the testimony. So we're really grateful that you're talking to us this morning. Appreciate it.

THORNTON: Thank you.

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 December 24, 2003 - 09:15   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: So what was it really like to be in that jury room deciding whether Malvo should be sentenced to death or given life in prison. We're joined now from Chesapeake, Virginia by Shelby Thornton. She's a juror who said she favored the death penalty.
Miss Thornton, good morning, thanks for being with us.

SHELBY THORNTON, MALVO TRIAL JUROR: Good morning.

WHITFIELD: Give me a sense of what it was like to be in that jury room. Obviously, as we've been hearing all morning, the jurors were very divided. Was it contentious? Was it yelling? Was it screaming? Was it calm debate? What was it like?

THORNTON: Well, I think that we're all grown adults. There was no yelling and screaming. There was some disagreement, and there was some tension, but I think that we all handled ourselves with respect for each other, and each other's opinions.

WHITFIELD: How did the numbers break down? What was the percentage, essentially, that wanted him to be put to death? And what was the percentage that felt that, in fact, his life should be spared?

THORNTON: I think originally it was 7-5, but in the end we all made the unanimous decision. So I have to answer that at the end, it was 12-0.

WHITFIELD: So 7-5 meaning seven people wanted him put to death, and five weren't?

THORNTON: Yes.

WHITFIELD: So, how did that shift happen? To some degree, of course, your position on the death penalty, and you all would know, having sat through such emotional testimony, how were you able to come around to a completely different position than, as you say today, you started with, that you hold?

THORNTON: I think for every one of us, it was different. There are a lot of things that I considered. I think one of the major things for me was that in the pictures, and the letters that Lee Malvo wrote, he wanted to die for his cause. He wanted to die in the name of Allah. That was his mission. And I think I get a small amount of satisfaction, well I guess what little could be had, that he's going to have to spend the next 70, 80 years of his life in prison, thinking about the enormous pain and devastation he's caused all the victims. WHITFIELD: Earlier this morning, we spoke with a juror, the youngest juror, and she said that she felt, to some degree, that the older jurors, maybe didn't listen to her side, because she seemed to think of her age, that her opinion was a little bit steamrolled. Did you feel any pressure from the other jurors during that two days of deliberation? Did you feel that your voice wasn't heard? And I guess I'm asking at the end of it, did you feel you were voting for life in prison, when actually your heart said no, he deserves to die?

THORNTON: I think that's a two-part question. To the first answer, I felt like they heard me. I can honestly say that. I'm very vocal, and like I said, according to me, I can't speak for the youngest member, but I felt like they heard what I had to say, and they didn't have to agree with it. But I listened to what they had to say.

And in the end, I think we all just basically came to the decision that some of us believed that he should be put to death for his crimes, and some people believed he should have life. And we unanimously decided to give him life. And I think that's about all I can say about that.

WHITFIELD: Shelby all right. Well, Shelby Thornton, we appreciate your time. Obviously, this was a tough, tough case to have to even listen to all the testimony. So we're really grateful that you're talking to us this morning. Appreciate it.

THORNTON: Thank you.

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