A verdict has been reached in the trial of Eddie Ray Routh. The reading of the verdict is expected to begin around 10:15 p.m. The jury began deliberations at 7:36 p.m. ET.
A jury has found Eddie Ray Routh guilty of murder in the killing of Chris Kyle, subject of the hit film “American Sniper,” and Kyle’s friend at a Texas firing range two years ago. No one disputed that Eddie Ray Routh shot and killed the men. But defense attorneys said Routh was insane. Prosecutors dismissed that claim outright. “Ladies and gentleman, that is not insanity. That is just cold, calculated capital murder. He is guilty of capital murder. He is not in any way insane,” said attorney Jane Starnes during closing arguments.Read more from WFMZ.com at: http://www.wfmz.com/news/american-sniper-case-goes-to-jury/3...
‘American Sniper’ Trial: Eddie Ray Routh Found Guilty in Double Murder Case
State prosecutors have made it clear that they would not be seeking the death penalty in the case, and while the sentence for murder is life in prison, Routh’s sentence officially will come at a later court hearing.
Routh pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity and his attorneys have argued that the former Marine had mental disorders and was in the grips of psychosis when he fatally shot Kyle and Littlefield during a trip to a gun range on Feb. 2, 2013.
During the 9-day trial, the prosecution and the defense have presented dueling testimony from mental health experts about whether Routh was insane when he committed the murders. Under Texas law, even if a person was suffering from a mental illness, they can be found guilty as long as they understood that what they did was wrong.
More at ABC
