Sniper Suspect Praised Terrorists
Prince William County prosecutors allege that sniper suspect John Allen Muhammad said “America got what it deserved” in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and that he has expressed other anti-American and racist views.
The new allegations came yesterday in a notice from prosecutors of their intent to prove as many as 14 “unadjudicated acts” to convince a jury that Muhammad deserves the death penalty if he is convicted of murder this fall. The other acts include an attack similar to last fall’s sniper shootings in which he allegedly fired at passing cars with a rifle from a concealed position at a Tacoma, Wash., park and also at a synagogue there.
Under Virginia law, after a defendant has been convicted of murder, prosecutors may present to the jury evidence of other crimes to prove the defendant’s future danger to society. The level of proof during the sentencing phase is not as high as during the guilt phase — only a “preponderance of the evidence,” or a balance that tips even slightly toward one side.
Prince William prosecutors listed four Washington area sniper shootings as acts they would present to a jury if Muhammad was convicted: the slayings of James D. Martin in Wheaton on Oct. 2 and James L. “Sonny” Buchanan in Rockville on Oct. 3, the wounding of Rupinder Oberoi in Silver Spring on Sept. 14 and the shooting into a Michaels craft store in Wheaton on Oct. 2.
But prosecutors also said they may present evidence of the Feb. 16, 2002, slaying of Keenya Cook, 21, in Tacoma. Cook’s aunt had worked with Muhammad and sided with his ex-wife in a custody dispute, and Cook was shot in the face when she answered the front door of her aunt’s home. No one has been charged with Cook’s death. But two Maryland jail guards testified at a hearing last month that Muhammad’s co-defendant, Lee Boyd Malvo, told them he had “shot [a] girl” in the face in Washington state.
So wait. You’re telling me that a man can be sentenced to death based on the weight of accusations of crimes that he hasn’t even been charged with? What the hell kind of justice is that?!?!!
Alright, it’s one thing if he’s a habitual criminal with convictions out the ass, but he has never been charged with any shootings in Washington state nor is having an opinion on the events of September 11th a crime, no matter how horrid the opinion may be. Perhaps his statement on American getting what it deserves can be brought up during the trial as to illustrate his character and a possible motive, but to bring these things up in the sentencing phase when you’re trying to convince a jury to put him to death, well, Christ, don’t you think the convictions of four snipings is enough? Or do you feel your case is so weak that you need to accuse the man of charges that haven’t even been filed?
And even during the trial, how can you present evidence of other crimes he may have committed when they are not the charges he is currently being tried for? Again, no matter what evidence, a person is innocent until proven guilty and since no jury has convicted him of other crimes they want to present evidence of then you are simply attempting to stack the deck against the man and prop up your case with heresay and accusations. I thought cases were supposed to be tried on facts not allegations.
God, why must the prosecution screw up these sniper trials? They should be pretty open and shut. “The gentleman was here, here and here on these days, in posession of this gun which these trials showed the bullets came from. He has this kind of military training, this kind of temprament, this kind of personal history. BAM! I rest my case.” (Thank you, prosecutor Emeril.) And the crimes themselves are large enough to where you should be able to get a death sentence, especially in Virginia, second only to Texas in executions.
Now, I’m against the death penalty. Mainly because the human mind is flawed but not nearly as much as the judicial system is. Unless you can 100% guarantee EVERY person on death row is 100% guilty of their crimes, there is no way I can support the death penalty. There are just too many holes. Given that, I understand that the death penalty exists and arguing against it is moot here. What is the point is whether or not Muhammad deserves it. And, if he does, it should be because of the crimes he has been convicted of, not because of evidence of other crimes he MAY have been involved in.
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