DC Sniper Trial
 

Are any of you guys following the first DC Sniper trial?

I'm from the DC/Baltimore area... even though I was at school during the shootings, my dad was working right in the area at the time. Everyone was so scared.

For those of you who have been following, what do you think so far??

I think they are both guilty and should fry. The younger guy..........he's old enough to know better, obviously they were both disturbed individuals, but i dont think either should be allowed to play the insanity card though i think only one of them are.

I don't have much choice in the matter, the first trial is taking place here in my hometown, Virginia Beach...Things aren't too crazy with all the press...Actually it is quite the opposite. Surpisingly so!

I think the prosecutors are doing an amazing job so far connecting him to the crime, but haven't heard what the defense has up their sleeves.

it's definetly been interesting to watch the strategies kind of unfold...

i think now they're trying to prove that the older one, Muhammed, "brainwashed" the younger guy, Malvo - and that plea might actually work... apparently, despite the two hour confession of Malvo laughing about the victims he killed, since Malvo has been away from Muhammed, he's totally snapped out of the whole "psycho" mindset. I have really mixed feelings about it - does the fact that another crazy person trained him to commit the crimes overrule the crime itself??

I'm pretty sure that the answer in a nutshell is yes. Is he pleading insanity or are they just trying to get the sentence reduced because he wasn't of his normal mindset?

I'm so glad that the trial was moved to Virginia Beach. A Montgomery County, Maryland jury can often manage to find a defendant not guilty no matter how overwhelming the evidence is to the contrary.

Pirepresent, where in the DC area do you live? PM me if you like :)

My understanding (and someone correct me if I'm wrong!) is that Malvo is pleading not guilty by reason of insanity. From what I've read, the defense team is anticipating a conviction, and plans on "planting the seeds" for the brainwashing idea to use during the sentencing period.

Killarney, I grew up right outside of Baltimore, I now live in Gaithersburg, my office is in McLean, VA, and my client (I work for a consulting firm) is in downtown DC. I PMed you!

If that's the case then yes, your insanity does overrule the crime itself. But if they buy that plead then he'll most likely be sentenced to a mental hospital.

I'm from Montgomery County and also live in Gaithersburg.

Which jury found which defendent not guilty when they should have found them guilty?

Neither trial has ended yet - in fact, Malvo's hasn't started yet. His begins in Chesapeake, VA on Nov. 10.

I'm not sure what Muhammed's plea is but I know they're seeking the death penalty. He's been charged with the murder of at least one person.

And Killarney, by the way - you're VERY right about Maryland juries. While there are charges pending against both defendents in several states, Ashcroft picked VA to take the first shot at conviction because of it's high conviction rate AND the people's willingness to impose the death penalty...

ETA: Virginia also is one of the only states in the region that will execute a minor...

I live in Northern VA, and I remember being scared to get gas. So yeah, I totally think those two deserve what's coming to them. I'm not all about the death penalty usually, but they have shown no remorse for what they have done. I also think the insanity plea is BS, because anybody who commits a crime like that has got to be nuts to begin with! Should we let everyone who commits murder off??? I don't think so. As for Malvo, the kid knew what he was doing. So what if he was only 17 at the time? A 17-year-old knows the difference between right and wrong and can make decisions for himself.

I feel very strongly about this, can you tell? :) But it's no wonder they had to move the trials because I doubt you can find anyone in the DC area who doesn't already hate (or at least strongly dislike) those bastards for what they put us through.

I was watching the news tonight and they were talking to a legal analyst or something of that nature. He said (I think, it was a few hours ago) that Malvo isn't pleading insanity, but rather trying to get sympathy from the jury or jury nullification, which allows juries to return a verdict of "not guilty" even when they believe the defendant was guilty of the crime (it's usually used for unfair laws). OR he may have said that Malvo is pleading insanity and while the defense isn't counting on that getting him acquitted, they are hoping to get sympathy or a nullification.
It's one of those two...

Do you remember two summers ago when a husband and wife, Erika and Benjamin Sifrit were accused of robbing, murdering and dismembering a man and woman in Ocean City?

Erika Sifrit was tried in Frederick County and found guilty of first degree murder in one of the killings and second degree in the other; and received life plus 20 years in prison.

Her husband was tried in Montgomery County using the same evidence and was convicted of second degree murder for one killing and acquitted of the other. According to juror interviews after the trial, not enough of the second victim's body was ever found to prove conclusively if she was shot from the same gun as the first one. He received 38 years in prison.

To be honest, this is the only case I can really quote regarding the tendancies of Montgomery County jurors, but a friend who is a defense attorney in Rockville once said that practicing in MC makes his job "so easy that (he) feels guilty taking clients' money".

Yup, the trial is taking place in my hometown, Virginia Beach. I lived in Northern VA for over 6 years (man, I miss it) and I used to shop in the shopping center where the one of the shootings occured (Seven Corners near Bailey's Crossroads). I used to live in Alexandria, VA on Seminary Rd

My heart goes out to the families and I hope they nail the b*stards! :mad:

Interesting, being born and raised in Montgomery County and never really leaving, I have never heard that the juries are hard to return guilty verdicts.

I know another high profile cass, the Goff murders (a handy man killed an entire family, dad, 3 or four daughters) and the only surviors were the mom and son, and Alvarez (the handy man) was found guilty.

And, the city council woman (or whatever) who tried to kill her husband was found guilty too.

But, it's very interesting to me the defense attorney said that.

I think though that the state of Maryland being so democratic and the state of Virgina being so republican has more to do with the views of the juries than anything. And, since Virginia has more of a stance on the death penalty (which I support BTW) that is why Maryland didn't get the sniper trial.

Interesting case regardless of your views if you ask me.