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CNN Saturday Morning News
Hearing Scheduled For Kidnapper of Carlie Brucia
Aired February 07, 2004 - 09:08 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.
FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN ANCHOR: In Sarasota, Florida, a hearing is scheduled this hour in the kidnapping and murder of 11-year-old Carlie Brucia. Ex-con Joss -- Joseph Smith is being held for the crimes. A candlelight vigil was held last night with family and friends coming together to mourn the child's death.
CNN's Kris Osborn is covering this tragic case. Kris is live in Sarasota County -- Kris.
KRIS OSBORN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, good morning to you, Frank.
Well, that hearing you talked about, it just finished up within the last half an hour or so. It was essentially a first appearance hearing where a defendant, in this case, of course, Smith, as you mentioned, has the right to appear before a judge, and the judge in this case would go through the probable cause affidavit, review the charges against Smith, read those charges, which, of course, in this case, are kidnapping and first-degree murder.
The defendant's attorneys waived his right to appear, so Smith was not in attendance. Nonetheless, the judge read the charges, and no bond was issued, so that Smith will remain in custody, an ex-con, believed by authorities to be responsible for both the kidnapping and the murder of little 11-year-old Carlie.
It's an event that I can tell you has hit this community pretty hard. There was a candlelight vigil at a church in Sarasota, where people came to express their sadness. They lit candles, they got together and shared their emotion and expressed their loss. Many sung songs.
It's really been emotional for a lot of people. At the car wash where that -- where little Carlie was last seen and picked up and caught on that surveillance video, there is a place where various people have come to drop off flowers and put down teddy bears and express their emotion.
At one point, some of her classmates came there to talk about how much they missed and loved their friend Carlie.
Now, as for the case and the evidence, there is a lot of discussion about what kind of case there might be. Authorities have told CNN that some of the evidence thus far is from the Buick Century, the car, along with, of course, that surveillance tape many have seen. In addition, there was, on that probable cause affidavit, a specific reference to the fact that the defendant Smith told a witness that he abducted and murdered 11-year-old Carlie. This witness was essential in telling authorities where her body was. Very grim discovery yesterday when authorities then uncovered the body of 11- year-old Carlie, Frank.
BUCKLEY: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) to cover, thanks very much, Kris Osborn.
OSBORN: Sure.
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 February 7, 2004 - 09:08 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN ANCHOR: In Sarasota, Florida, a hearing is scheduled this hour in the kidnapping and murder of 11-year-old Carlie Brucia. Ex-con Joss -- Joseph Smith is being held for the crimes. A candlelight vigil was held last night with family and friends coming together to mourn the child's death.
CNN's Kris Osborn is covering this tragic case. Kris is live in Sarasota County -- Kris.
KRIS OSBORN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, good morning to you, Frank.
Well, that hearing you talked about, it just finished up within the last half an hour or so. It was essentially a first appearance hearing where a defendant, in this case, of course, Smith, as you mentioned, has the right to appear before a judge, and the judge in this case would go through the probable cause affidavit, review the charges against Smith, read those charges, which, of course, in this case, are kidnapping and first-degree murder.
The defendant's attorneys waived his right to appear, so Smith was not in attendance. Nonetheless, the judge read the charges, and no bond was issued, so that Smith will remain in custody, an ex-con, believed by authorities to be responsible for both the kidnapping and the murder of little 11-year-old Carlie.
It's an event that I can tell you has hit this community pretty hard. There was a candlelight vigil at a church in Sarasota, where people came to express their sadness. They lit candles, they got together and shared their emotion and expressed their loss. Many sung songs.
It's really been emotional for a lot of people. At the car wash where that -- where little Carlie was last seen and picked up and caught on that surveillance video, there is a place where various people have come to drop off flowers and put down teddy bears and express their emotion.
At one point, some of her classmates came there to talk about how much they missed and loved their friend Carlie.
Now, as for the case and the evidence, there is a lot of discussion about what kind of case there might be. Authorities have told CNN that some of the evidence thus far is from the Buick Century, the car, along with, of course, that surveillance tape many have seen. In addition, there was, on that probable cause affidavit, a specific reference to the fact that the defendant Smith told a witness that he abducted and murdered 11-year-old Carlie. This witness was essential in telling authorities where her body was. Very grim discovery yesterday when authorities then uncovered the body of 11- year-old Carlie, Frank.
BUCKLEY: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) to cover, thanks very much, Kris Osborn.
OSBORN: Sure.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
