Joel Thomas@CBS11Joel
Chad and his daughter from #AmericanSniper trial.

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

I was at the opening day trial of Eddie Ray Routh in Stephenville today. The Honorable Judge Jason Cashon was exceptional. His demeanor seemed to silently command respect in the courtroom. Court began promptly at 9:00AM and recessed for the day around 6:00PM. The jury is not sequestered.

Chad Littlefield and Chris Kyle were both soccer dads and met on the field where their kids played together. Kyle's wife Taya, testified his philosophy was one week in the great outdoors was more beneficial than weeks in the hospital. Routh's mother contacted Kyle and asked him to try and help her son. Rough Creek Lodge, the shooting range where Kyle and Littlefield were killed, is not a typical firing range facility. It is 11,000 acres with world class restaurants, spa, shooting activities and zip line.

Exhibits presented today were a map of Rough Creek Lodge in relation to the surroundings roads and highways, many family photos of Kyle and Littlefield with their children and a crime scene photo. Judge Cashon then warned the court, "This next bit of testimony will be disturbing." and called for a short recess. The Judge reviewed all the 2013 crime scene photos of Kyle and Littlefield before they were presented to the jury. Littlefield was shot four times in the back and Chris Kyle was shot five times. The 911 call to police by Routh's sister was also played for the jury.

The movie "American Sniper" is being shown three times daily down the street from the Courthouse.

"American Sniper" Murder Trial Underway

NBCDFW.com
By Jamie Stengle and Ken Kalthoff

Shortly before he was shot to death by a troubled former Marine at a Texas gun range, legendary Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle texted a buddy, "This dude is straight-up nuts," a defense attorney told jurors Wednesday.

A lawyer for Eddie Ray Routh said in opening statements of the man's murder trial that Routh's insanity was so evident that Kyle and his friend Chad Littlefield exchanged texts expressing alarm as the three rode together in February 2013 to a Texas shooting range.

"He's (sitting) right behind me, watch my six," Littlefield texted back, using a military reference for watching one's back.

But a prosecutor said that even with a history of mental illness, Routh still knew right from wrong.

...more at the link
http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/American-Sniper-Trial-Thrusts-Texas-Town-Into-National-Spotlight-291461501.html

Thanks Molly... its is great to get a personal report from somebody in court.

(There will be a bonus added to next pay check)

Did you public see the crime scene photos? I THINK I would be OK.. seen such photos online before

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

The trial continues today.

I'll post the odd tweet

I wont try and post every tweet, but will look for a summary at the end of the day.

Ken Kalthoff@KenKalthoffNBC5
Next witness is Flavio Salazar, Lancaster Police officer.

Officer Salazar responded to call on 2-2-13 to call for #AmericanSniper shooting suspect at a house




Officer Salazar was a US Marine in Iraq when #AmericanSniper Chris Kyle was there.

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

Fil Alvarado@FilAlvaradoFox4
Eddie Routh surrenders after police chase.

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

Jim Douglas WFAA@wfaajdouglas
#snipertrial Chad Littlefield shot 4 times in back. Also In face and top of head with 9mm handgun.

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

'American Sniper' Murder Suspect Routh Said He Took 'Couple of Souls'

Texas jurors on Thursday were shown video showing the former Marine who is accused of killing "American Sniper" Chris Kyle and his friend at a local gun range telling police that he had "taken a couple of souls" and had more to take.

Eddie Ray Routh, 27, is charged with capital murder in the killings of Kyle and Chris Littlefield. He made the comments to Lancaster police who were trying to get him to leave Kyle's pickup truck after a police chase hours after the murders.

"He told us he'd taken a couple of souls and he had more souls to take," Lancaster Police Lt. Michael Smith testified Thursday.

...more at link
http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/ame ... ls-n305476

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

The trial continues. Live now. Not televised, but you can follow on twitter #AmericanSniper

https://twitter.com/hashtag/americansni ... e&src=hash



Ken Kalthoff@KenKalthoffNBC5
Ranger says prescription drugs in house were antipsychotics. We're not seized that night.

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

"American Sniper" Trial Day 3: Drugs, Booze Found at Routh's Home

NBCDFW.com
By Jamie Stengle and Ken Kalthoff

While defense attorneys mount an insanity defense for the former Marine on trial in the shooting deaths of "American Sniper" author Chris Kyle and his friend Chad Littlefield, prosecutors have described Eddie Ray Routh as a troubled drug user who knew right from wrong. Criminal law experts say the case hinges on whether the defense can prove Routh did not know that the killings constituted a crime.

Routh's attorneys have said the 27-year-old, who was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and was taking anti-psychotic medication, was insane when Kyle and Littlefield took him to a shooting range to provide support and camaraderie. Routh, his lawyers say, believed the men planned to kill him.

Because Routh was at a shooting range and both Kyle and Littlefield were armed, "it's an easier case than others for the proposition that he believed they were about to kill him," said George Dix, a criminal law professor at the University of Texas, Austin.

If convicted, Routh faces life in prison without parole. Even if he's acquitted, Routh would likely remain in custody. The Texas criminal code stipulates that in cases involving violent crimes where defendants are found not guilty by reason of insanity, the court can initiate civil proceedings to have them committed.

...more at link (video)
http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/American-Sniper-Trial-Day-3-Drugs-Booze-Found-at-Rouths-Home-291874691.html

Trial continues today.....

Ken Kalthoff@KenKalthoffNBC5
Next Eddie Routh #AmericanSniper murder trial witness is Major Danny Briley, Texas Rangers

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

NBC DFW@NBCDFW
#AmericanSniper Trial resumed today.

We will update our story here:
http://on.nbcdfw.com/KS5Sy0b

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

Tasha Tsiaperas@ttsiaperas
Eddie Ray Routh during his taped police confession. #snipertrial

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

Ranger testifies killings at gun range were ‘brutal’

BY MELODY MCDONALD LANIERSPECIAL TO THE STAR-TELEGRAM
UPDATED 02/16/2015 4:23 PM

STEPHENVILLE - When Texas Ranger Danny Briley arrived at Rough Creek Lodge to investigate a double shooting on the evening of Feb. 2, 2013, he knew immediately that the killings were intentional.

“This was a brutal killing,” Briley told the jury Monday, at the capital murder trial of Eddie Ray Routh, accused of killing former Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle and his best friend, Chad Littlefield. “There was no question that I was dealing with someone very violent…You can’t accidentally shoot someone that many times.”

Briley was on the stand about 30 minutes Monday before state District Judge Jason Cashon broke for lunch. The lead investigator will return this afternoon to the courtroom, where he is expected to testify about the confession Routh gave after the two men were gunned down at a sport shooting range southwest of Glen Rose.

Kyle, 38, was shot six times with a .45-caliber weapon and Littlefield, 35, seven times with a 9mm handgun.

Afterward, prosecutors said, Routh reloaded the 9mm that was used to kill Littlefield and fled with it in Kyle’s black Ford pickup. He was arrested several hours later after leading Lancaster police on a 6-mile chase that ended when Kyle’s pickup died on Interstate 35E, near Wheatland Road in south Dallas.

Defense attorneys Warren St. John, Tim Moore and R. Shay Isham are arguing that Routh is not guilty by reason of insanity. They must prove he was suffering from a severe mental disease or defect at the time of the slayings and did not know his conduct was wrong.

...more at link
http://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/crime/article10465724.html

'American Sniper' Trial Continues Monday

By Ken Kalthoff @KenKalthoffNBC5 and The Associated Press
February 16, 2015

Jurors have seen a videotaped confession by the former Marine accused in the fatal shootings of "American Sniper" author Chris Kyle and his friend, 35-year-old Chad Littlefield.

The tape played Monday sheds more light on Eddie Ray Routh's mental state shortly after the killings.

The 27-year-old has confessed to the February 2013 slayings but has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.

Defense attorneys say Routh was insane when Kyle and Littlefield took him to a shooting range to provide support and camaraderie. Prosecutors say he knew his actions were wrong and should be convicted of capital murder.

In the confession, Routh said of Kyle, "If I did not take down his soul, he was going to take down mine."

Law Officers Take the Stand Monday

Five different law enforcement witnesses took the stand Monday morning to continue piecing together the state's evidence in the Routh murder trial.

The first witness Monday was Erath County Sheriff’s Department Sgt. Kenny Phillips who transported Routh to jail in Stephenville from Lancaster, where he was arrested in February 2013 for the slayings.

Phillips said Routh seemed “under the influence” at the time and then spent some time in “a detox situation” at the Erath Jail. Phillips said Routh now receives daily medication at the jail.

Texas Ranger Danny Briley, the lead investigator, was on the witness stand at the lunch break. A confession Routh made in the case is likely to be introduced as Briley’s testimony continues later in the day.

The first week of testimony ended Friday with other alleged confessions by Routh for the murders of both Kyle and Littlefield.

...more at link
http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/American-Sniper-Trial-Resumes-Monday-292060891.html

Thanks Molly for the insider view.

So far my opinion is that Routh knew right from wrong, not to say that he doesn't fight some mental demons, but the standard for NGBI is knowing right from wrong, the fact that Routh said ''I don't know if I'm going insane," while he was being arrested makes his insanity plea more than suspect to me.

I don't know where the court's stand with Routh exasperating his condition with the use of alcohol and marijuana but I suspect if it hasn't already, it will play a role in his trial.

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

You know, the more I think about this the angrier I get. I have worked with a lot of mentally ill folks, and it is so rare for them to admit that they have a mental health dosorders, sometimes they will say they are crazy, they don't think right, they might say other people think that they are crazy, but I've never heard someone say they thought they might be going insane. It isn't a safe thing to admit that you cannot trust your own thoughts, people hide their crazy thought , the best they can, they do not kill a couple of people and have a sudden epiphany that maybe their brain chemistry is out of whack.

I have stayed away from reading much about the brutal murders of Kyle and Chad because I was not sure that I could evaluate it objectively. Two men the salt of the earth, true hero's shot point blank by a guy who hours later is rational enough to realize he should state that maybe he was insane at the time of his murderous rampage. I'm not buying it, Routh had problems, maybe PSTSD maybe that along with bad moral character, maybe a genetic disorder, maybe he just didn't like that Chad and Kyle found their peace. I don't think he meets the legal definition of GBRI. He knew right from wrong regardless of his unfathomable brutal murders of Kyle and Chad. Mental health problems, nurturing this mental problems with the drinking and marijuana consumption is negligent.

Insanity is a bear to prove , insanity in a specific moment in time is even hared to prove, insanity where one doe not know right form is a very long shot.

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

Very well stated, Carm. I agree with you 100%. Since Routh admitted killing them three times, Insanity Defense is all they have. I've always felt (a majority of) insanity killings are when the killer is not under any influence. Weed and whiskey is what I think set him off. It was their first time to meet each other. I am anxious to know if the Prosecution will bring in any facts that Routh may be a terrorist sympathizer. I hope to be in trial when the defense opens, closings and verdict.

I know PTSD is complicated. My husband suffers from it (Vietnam War) but has been able to cope and live a normal life, others as well.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. This is what RT is all about, right?

Hi Molly,

I think that you are right that Routh had no chance of claiming that he was not the murderer so the next best thing is an insanity defense. I've read a little but about the insanity defense in Texas and the court will commit Routh for treatment if he if found not guilty by reason of insanity and most likely will be released at some point when he is considered mentally stable and no longer a danger to himself or others.

I do believe the guy has ghosts, probably suffers from PTSD but that does not mean he didm;t know what he was doing was wrong and that is the simple criteria for an insanity defense. Hopefully the jurors are not dullards.

And my hat is off in thanks to your husband for his service. Something that always makes me angry is people who say "Oh he is a Vietnam Vet" as if the majority of Vietnam Vet's came home and became societal misfits. The opposite is true, most of our Vietnam Vets came home and became productive citizens PTSD, the ignorance of their communities, the biased of the media and the self doubt it created were all set aside as our Vets moved forward and are living productive, loving, fruitful lives.

God bless our Veterans of all wars.

* In my other post that should read NGBRI I don't think Routh met the legal threshold of insane at the time of the murders. That of course means nothing when it comes to what the jury will decide.

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

You are correct about the Texas law, however as I understand what I've read, the jury will not be told any punishment prior to deliberations. I could be wrong, and if so will ask Rumpole to edit this a bit

Thank you for your kind words about Vietnam Veterans returning home. My husband told me, when we met and I wanted to talk about it, he went 40 days wanting only a dry bed to sleep in and a cold glass of clear water. A reason I count my blessings each day.

Again, thanks Carm!