Prosecutors expected to rest case today in ‘American Sniper’ murder trial

Dallas Morning News | Tasha Tsiaperas
February 17, 2015 8:19 am

The state is expected to rest its case today in the capital murder trial of a former Marine who killed Navy SEAL Chris Kyle and another man in 2013.

In a rambling confession played Monday for jurors, Eddie Ray Routh admitted killing Kyle and Chad Littlefield at an Erath County shooting range.

“If I didn’t take out his soul, he was going to take my soul next,” Routh said in the videotaped confession.

Routh, 27, went on to say that he’d like to apologize to the victims’ families.

“I’d tell them I’m sorry for what I’ve done,” he said. “If I could have done it differently, I would have done it differently.”

Prosecutors say Routh understood what he did was wrong, but defense attorneys argue that he wasn’t in his right mind when he shot the two men.

If convicted, Routh would automatically face life in prison without parole. If found not guilty by reason of insanity, he would face up to life in a state mental hospital.

Testimony in the case is to resume at 9 a.m. Follow me on Twitter for constant updates on the trial.

...more at link
http://crimeblog.dallasnews.com/2015/02/prosecutors-expected-to-rest-case-today-in-american-sniper-murder-trial.html/

Okie dokie, I'm out the door in about 45 minutes

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If your mind is agitated you will find agitation everywhere. Where else will you find peace if not within you? __ Papaji

Prosecutors say Routh understood what he did was wrong, but defense attorneys argue that he wasn’t in his right mind when he shot the two men.

Right from wrong is the criteria from what I understand.

Not in his right mind is not a legal defense unless one is quantifiably not in touch with reality, and then they don't know right from wrong, I just don't buy it with Routh.


If convicted, Routh would automatically face life in prison without parole. If found not guilty by reason of insanity, he would face up to life in a state mental hospital.

I think the article has this wrong, Texas is a NGBRI (Not guilty by reason of insanity) state not a GBMI (Guilty but mentally insane) state. If he is found NGBRI then he will be court mandated into a mental health facility and may be medicated/counseled to sanity and if a panel of doctors are willing to say at some point that Routh has been medicated to sanity and no longer poses a danger to himself or society then he will be eligible for release, with the courts approval and drug/mental health treatment perimeters set up like a parole system.

_________________
If your mind is agitated you will find agitation everywhere. Where else will you find peace if not within you? __ Papaji

however as I understand what I've read, the jury will not be told any punishment prior to deliberations.

I'm not familiar with Texas law. I only know what I have read and what a psychiatrist friend of mine, who followed the Andrea Yates case, has told me. I'll see what I can find out later today. From my understanding Texas never commits anyone to life in the nut house, some people like Andrea Yates will always be there, but people are always up for review at different intervals in their commitment in case they have been made mentally sound through medications and treatment.

Andrea Yates as of a few years ago did nothing but perpetually knit.

Nice to chat with you, wish I knew more about Texas law.

_________________
If your mind is agitated you will find agitation everywhere. Where else will you find peace if not within you? __ Papaji

Ken Kalthoff@KenKalthoffNBC5
Judge denies mistrial motion. Will tell jury to disregard evidence entered in error @NBCDFW #AmericanSniper

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

Ken Kalthoff@KenKalthoffNBC5
State calls Jennifer Rumppe, DPS crime lab expert.

Witness shows some of the evidence she received from Eddie Routh's home. @NBCDFW #AmericanSniper

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

Ken Kalthoff@KenKalthoffNBC5
Noon recess at Eddie Routh #AmericanSniper murder trial.

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

Will tell jury to disregard evidence entered in error @NBCDFW #AmericanSniper

Do you know what evidence is to be disregarded?

I'll be back later

_________________
If your mind is agitated you will find agitation everywhere. Where else will you find peace if not within you? __ Papaji

Ken Kalthoff@KenKalthoffNBC5
Routh's mom spent more than 1 1/2 hours on stand. Court recessed until 9 am @NBCDFW #AmericanSniper

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

Defendant's Mother Testifies in "American Sniper" Murder Trial

State rests case against Eddie Routh as defense seeks mistrial

NBC5DFW
By Ken Kalthoff | February 17, 2015

Eddie Routh’s mother testified in his defense Tuesday afternoon after the state rested its case in the "American Sniper" murder trial.

Jodi Routh told the Erath County jury her son developed mental health issues and returned a changed person after his honorable discharge from the U.S. Marine Corps.

"He wasn’t his happy-go-lucky self like he had always been. A lot more serious, very concerned for his family," she said.

His mother said Eddie Routh was paranoid and required hospital treatment for post-traumatic stress in 2011.
“He was very suicidal,” she said.

Jodi Routh said her son was in and out of the Dallas VA Hospital and Green Oaks, a mental health facility. She said the VA released him on his latest stay before it should have.

“I objected and said he’s not ready,” she said.

Jodi Routh said she turned to "American Sniper" Chris Kyle for assistance after she heard the work he had done with other veterans. The mother said Kyle promised to do all he could to help Eddie Routh.

...more at link
http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/Prosecution-Expected-to-Rest-in-American-Sniper-Trial-292175181.html

Thanks for the info on the tainted evidence Molly.



“I had to kill them before they killed me,” Routh said.

This to me sounds as if Routh is aware he is going to try and kill two armed men, or one armed man and a man within inches of a loaded weapon, it takes a lot of rational, non delusional thought to wait for an opportune time to kill two men like Chad and Chris. The fact that Routh was able to kill both men goes against his defense of delusional, disordered thinking or insanity.

Prosecutors have been building a case that Routh’s behavior at the time of the crime was influenced by alcohol, illegal drugs and Routh’s failure to follow his doctor’s instructions, and not the insanity Routh’s lawyers claim now

BINGO

I'll never be convinced that an psychotically delusional person would say during his arrest, "Maybe I'm going insane." Insane is a legal term. I just don't buy it.

_________________
If your mind is agitated you will find agitation everywhere. Where else will you find peace if not within you? __ Papaji

Excellent points, Carm!
A busy day in the courtroom.
More updates very soon; guns as evidence and last witness testimony.

ETA: Carm, the above link completely updated and changed their title so I needed to update.
I added another story below about the Motions for Mistrial.

Thanks Molly, I have tried to stay away from this case as I knew it would make me sick and keep me up at night. Now that I am reading about it I am more convinced that I am right in my initial thoughts that team Routh is playing the system. Again I don't think Routh was thinking clearly but I don't think he was in the throngs of a psychotic episode either.

_________________
If your mind is agitated you will find agitation everywhere. Where else will you find peace if not within you? __ Papaji

'American Sniper' Trial: Suspect's Mom Says Son Was Paranoid After Marine Service

ABC NEWS
MEGHAN KENEALLY and ALI EHRLICH
Feb 17, 2015, 12:45PM ET

The mother of accused "American Sniper" killer Eddie Ray Routh described in court today how her "good kid" became paranoid after his Marine service.

Jodi Routh was the second defense witness called to the stand in Texas today and gave the most thorough portrait to date of her son’s early life. She said he got "fair grades" as a youngster and played on his high school football team.

"His dad took him hunting and taught him about firearms," she said, which is something he and famed sniper Chris Kyle, whom Routh is accused of killing in 2013, had in common.

The defense launched into its case today by showing the host of long rifles found at the crime scene, a shooting range, including Kyle's personalized gun that had "American Sniper" written on the handle.

Jodi Routh noted that her son changed after he returned from the Marines after having served in Iraq and Haiti. During the humanitarian mission in Haiti, she said he "helped clean up bodies from beaches."

She said he was "not happy-go-lucky" when he came back. "Sometimes he wasn't able to express how he was feeling," she said.

Jodi Routh said her son admitted himself to a veterans' hospital for three days in 2011 after trying to kill himself with a gun.

She was the one who made the connection with Kyle, and when she said her son had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, the famed sniper allegedly said he would love to help because he had suffered from PTSD as well.

...more at link (videos, commentary, tweets, photos)
http://abcnews.go.com/US/american-sniper-trial-suspects-mom-son-paranoid-marine/story?id=29022494

'American Sniper' Trial: Judge Denies Defense's Request for Mistrial

NBC NEWS | Jacob Rascon and Amy Calvin
First published February 17th 2015, 2:00 pm

The defense team for Eddie Ray Routh tried unsuccessfully Tuesday to convince a Texas judge to declare a mistrial in the capital murder case against the former Marine, who shot and killed "American Sniper" Chris Kyle and a friend two years ago.

Prosecutors told Judge Jason Cashon that they had misrepresented two glass vials as belonging to Routh when they were removing items from his home. The vials were placed into a box of evidence as drug paraphernalia. They had come from a forensic scientist who was running tests inside the house.

Lawyers for Routh, 27, sought a mistrial after the disclosure. The judge instead instructed the jury to disregard the vials. Prosecutors rested their case on the fifth day of testimony. The life story of Kyle, a former Navy SEAL, is depicted in the Oscar-nominated film "American Sniper."

...more at link
http://www.nbcnews.com/news/crime-courts/american-sniper-trial-judge-denies-defenses-request-mistrial-n307726

From what I have gathered watching US trials for 8 years.. the request for mistrial is standard after prosecution rests.

Never granted

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

Correct, rarely granted.
And any time throughout the trial if Defense has case law (usually three) to substantiate their Motion.
Most common is "Prosecution has not proved their case".
The judge takes each one into careful consideration for appellate reasons.

Yep request for mistrial is generally just groundwork for appeal and or delay of trial.

Something from the article Molly posted;

"I've been so paranoid and schizophrenic all day,” Routh replies. “I don't know if I'm insane or what's going on in the world right now.”

Sorry but a person in a psychotic break simply doesn't talk like this. One of the criteria for a psychosis is that the person has a break with reality, their delusion is their reality, they are not sitting around contemplating whether or not they have been "schizophrenic all day" or whether or not they are "insane".

_________________
If your mind is agitated you will find agitation everywhere. Where else will you find peace if not within you? __ Papaji

I knew better than to start getting into this case. Chris Kyle was already very well known for his book “American Sniper” when Routh murdered him and Chad. Chris came back from the war and in the eyes of many was now on easy street, fought valiantly for our country, fought some inner demons and was now respected and financially set.

Routh came back from Haiti and acted like a “lunatic” I’m sure Routh was financially challenged and the booze and marijuana mean that he was self medicated what we know was a diagnosed mental disorder.

I just don’t believe “insanity” was the impetus for Routh’s actions. No one would have known Routh’s name had he not viscously murdered “The American Sniper” . So maybe fame and fortune? Many are unaware of our Son of Sam law which prohibit’s criminals from benefitting from their crimes. Maybe Routh saw the road to fame and riches. His talk about being insane during his arrest should be a red flag to everyone who knows anything about mental illness.

I hope the prosecution is looking into Routh’s finances, looking into whether he complained about money a lot, looking into his pstd behavior, was it reclusive or violent.

Routh was found competent to stand trial so he has been medicated and counseled to the point of being able to comprehend what is going on around him.

So the big question is simply was he so out of touch with reality that he did not know right from wrong while he was pulling the trigger. I think the fact that he was competent and enough in touch with reality to know Chris or Chad would kill him if he did not begin firing at exactly the right moment weighs heavy in the prosecutions favor. I think that Routh said during his arrest, that he was “schizophrenic all day and maybe he was going insane” weighs heavy in the prosecutions favor.

IMO killing both Chris and Chad had to be a well thought out plan or only one of them would be dead and Routh would have been killed by the other.

_________________
If your mind is agitated you will find agitation everywhere. Where else will you find peace if not within you? __ Papaji