Washington sniper trial opens
The trial of the man accused of carrying out the sniper killings that terrorised America last year starts on Tuesday.
Sniper suspect John Allen Muhammad appears in court today charged with murder the murder of a 53-year-old man shot while he filled his car in Manassas, Virginia, on October 9th 2002.
The trial of 42-year-old Gulf War veteran Muhammad was moved 200 miles away from the murder scene to Virginia to find an unbiased jury.
Muhammad and 18-year-old Lee Malvo were arrested in connection with the deaths of 10 people and three gunshot wounds.
Muhammad is charged with capital murder under two laws, including a Virginia anti-terrorism law brought in after the September 11th attacks. Both carry the death sentence.
Muhammad’s defence team insists Malvo pulled the trigger, while the teenager’s lawyers insist that Muhammad was the shooter.
Malvo will face trial next month on separate murder charges.
The pair are also suspected of involvement in shootings in Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, Arizona and Washington State.
Police have failed to establish a clear motive, or any links among the victims, for the three week shooting spree.
The killings stopped when Muhammad and Malvo were arrested in their car in Maryland on October 24th 2002.
A search of their Chevrolet turned up a Bushmaster rifle.
