ROCKVILLE, Maryland (AP) -- Washington-area sniper John Allen Muhammad was convicted of six more of the killings Tuesday after a trial in which he acted as his own attorney and the prosecution's star witness was his young protege and partner in crime, Lee Boyd Malvo.
Muhammad, 45, is already under a death sentence in Virginia for a killing there. The most he can get for the six Maryland slayings is life in prison without parole.
The jury took slightly more than four hours to convict him after a four-week trial.
The trial marked the first time Malvo testified against the man prosecutors say was his mentor and manipulator.
During two days of testimony last week, Malvo, 21, gave the first inside account of the shootings and described Muhammad's elaborate plans for a reign of terror.
Muhammad, acting as his own attorney at his second trial in the deadly shootings, told the jury in his closing argument Friday that he was only in the Washington area to search for his ex-wife and children.
He said government agencies planted evidence and collaborated to pin the crime on him and teenager Lee Boyd Malvo.
"My case is based on one thing. It is very simple. They lied on two innocent men," Muhammad said.
Prosecutors told the jury that Muhammad carefully planned and carried out the shootings with teenage accomplice Lee Boyd Malvo, who implicated his former mentor for the first time on the stand.
Both men had previously been convicted in attacks in Virginia, and Muhammad was sentenced to death there. In Maryland, Muhammad is being tried in six of the 10 deadly shootings. Maryland prosecutors said Malvo had agreed to a plea deal.
Last week, Malvo gave a chilling account of Muhammad's planning for the October 2002 shooting spree.
Muhammad planned two phases, Malvo said, the first shooting six people a day for a month, the second targeting children and police with explosives. He ultimately wanted to extort $10 million from authorities and use the money to teach homeless children how to use guns and explosives at a Canadian compound, Malvo said.
Malvo also said that Muhammad was the shooter in five of the six Maryland murders.
Prosecutors called eyewitnesses who said they saw Muhammad and his Chevrolet Caprice near shooting scenes. Forensic experts said his DNA was on evidence that included parts of the Bushmaster rifle found in the Caprice when he and Malvo were arrested. Ballistics experts matched the .223-caliber bullets used in the murders to the Bushmaster.
Muhammad seized on inconsistencies during his cross-examination but offered little proof for his conspiracy theory and no motive. His defense was also hampered by his failure to follow proper courtroom procedure and the reluctance of witnesses to testify for him.
Ten people were killed and three wounded during the three weeks of shootings in October 2002. Muhammad and Malvo were arrested October 24, 2002, as they slept in the Caprice at a western Maryland rest stop. Behind the back seat was the Bushmaster. Authorities discovered a hole bored in trunk of the Caprice, allowing a shooter to lie inside to fire.
A Virginia jury convicted Muhammad of a sniper shooting in Manassas, Virginia, and Malvo was given a life term for another Virginia shooting. Maryland prosecutors say their case is insurance if Muhammad's initial conviction is overturned.
The two men also are suspected in shootings in Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Louisiana and Washington state.
I wish as a state (MD) that we would give people as sick and evil as he is the death penalty. At least he's going down in VA. They need to kill Malvo too, just because he was a minor does not make it ok and any less of a crime.
I lived there during this whole ordeal, and let me tell you, it sucked big time. Everyone was sort of on edge, just because of the utter randomness of their attacks. I still sometimes walk in zig zag lines into stores, just for the fun of it.
I am the Walrus
The_Dude
General Manager
Posts: 3479
Joined: 14 Aug 2003
Yards this season: 0
Home Cafe: Football
Location: My ivory tower, where I oversee the intellectual development of America's youth
The_Dude wrote:I lived there during this whole ordeal, and let me tell you, it sucked big time. Everyone was sort of on edge, just because of the utter randomness of their attacks. I still sometimes walk in zig zag lines into stores, just for the fun of it.
Thats odd, Moon sometimes walks to the stores for zig zags. Coincidence???
"DAMMIT!!!!! I knew it, I knew it, I KNEW IT!!!!"-Immortal words of The Captain
The_Dude wrote:I lived there during this whole ordeal, and let me tell you, it sucked big time. Everyone was sort of on edge, just because of the utter randomness of their attacks. I still sometimes walk in zig zag lines into stores, just for the fun of it.
Thats odd, Moon sometimes walks to the stores for zig zags. Coincidence???
gotta do what you gotta do. someone has to keep the peace. (inner or otherwise)
moonhead
Hall of Fame Hero
Posts: 15994
(Past Year: 15)
Joined: 16 Oct 2004
Yards this season: 0
Home Cafe: Football
Location: questioning your fanhood...funk o'meter: funkalicious
The_Dude wrote:I lived there during this whole ordeal, and let me tell you, it sucked big time. Everyone was sort of on edge, just because of the utter randomness of their attacks. I still sometimes walk in zig zag lines into stores, just for the fun of it.
Thats odd, Moon sometimes walks to the stores for zig zags. Coincidence???
gotta do what you gotta do. someone has to keep the peace. (inner or otherwise)
Im not knockin ya, just an obsevance
"DAMMIT!!!!! I knew it, I knew it, I KNEW IT!!!!"-Immortal words of The Captain
im still confused as to why they needed to try him in maryland after he was sentenced to death in virginia. could someone help me out?
I'm confused about the fact that they even needed a trial for this.
Well, it only took the jury 4 hours to convict so I don't think there was much discussion. For the murder of 6 people and a 4 week trial that's seems pretty fast to me.
Cafe Home
Fantasy Baseball
Fantasy Basketball
Fantasy Hockey
by knapplc » Tue May 30, 2006 2:01 pm 
