Jury seated for trial over 'American Sniper' death

[webfact]

Jury seated for trial over 'American Sniper' death
By JAMIE STENGLE

STEPHENVILLE, Texas (AP) — A jury was seated Monday in the trial of a man charged with killing the former Navy SEAL depicted in the Oscar-nominated movie "American Sniper," after extra efforts to keep publicity about the case and the movie from preventing a fair trial.

Ten women and two men will serve as jurors for the trial of Eddie Ray Routh starting Wednesday. Routh, a former Marine, is charged with capital murder in the deaths of 38-year-old Chris Kyle and Kyle's friend, 35-year-old Chad Littlefield. Opening statements are Wednesday.

The movie based on Kyle's memoir as a celebrated sniper who served four tours in Iraq has grossed nearly $300 million. In response to the attention paid to the Kyle case, officials called in more than four times as many potential jurors as they would for a regular trial.

The county's top prosecutor and the judge overseeing the case both told prospective jurors they would only insist that jurors who have seen the movie or read the book set their prior knowledge aside when they hear evidence. The movie ends with a depiction of Kyle meeting Routh, followed by footage from Kyle's funeral.

"It's hard not to have knowledge of this case," Erath County District Attorney Alan Nash said. "It's pervasive."

Nash asked potential jurors Monday morning if they were unable to set aside what they'd already heard. No one among about 130 potential jurors in court raised their hand.

State District Judge Jason Cashon estimated that no more than two dozen potential jurors had been dismissed from serving due to pretrial publicity. Cashon denied defense motions to delay the trial or move it to a different county.

Routh's attorneys plan to pursue an insanity defense. Prosecutors won't seek the death penalty. He faces life in prison without parole if convicted.

Family members have said Routh, 27, struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder after leaving the Marines in 2010. The small arms technician served in Iraq and was deployed to earthquake-ravaged Haiti. Kyle took Routh to the shooting range after Routh's mother asked if he could help her son.

Kyle made more than 300 kills as a sniper for SEAL Team 3, according to his own count and earned two Silver Stars for valor. After leaving the military, Kyle volunteered with veterans facing mental health problems, often taking them shooting.

About two hours after Kyle, Littlefield and Routh arrived at Rough Creek Lodge and Resort on Feb. 2, 2013, an employee discovered the bodies of Kyle and Littlefield at the remote range.

Authorities say Routh drove to his sister's house in Kyle's truck, telling her and her husband that he had killed Kyle and Littlefield.

His sister told police that Routh "was out of his mind, saying people were sucking his soul and that he could smell the pigs."


-- (c) Associated Press 2015-02-10

[godden]

I feel another movie coming on

[JetsetBkk]

I feel another movie coming on

They should make a movie about Jesse Ventura suing the estate of Chris Kyle for including an inflammatory anecdote in Kyle's book "American Sniper"...

http://time.com/3058141/jesse-ventura-successfully-sues-american-sniper-author-for-1-8-million/ - - - he got $1.8 mil.

...and then suing AGAIN because the film made so much money!

http://controversialtimes.com/news/another-lawsuit-jesse-ventura-back-in-court-against-chris-kyle-american-sniper/

Forum rules prevent me from saying what I think of this -deleted-.

[Chicog]

I feel another movie coming on

They should make a movie about Jesse Ventura suing the estate of Chris Kyle for including an inflammatory anecdote in Kyle's book "American Sniper"...

http://time.com/3058141/jesse-ventura-successfully-sues-american-sniper-author-for-1-8-million/ - - - he got $1.8 mil.

...and then suing AGAIN because the film made so much money!

http://controversialtimes.com/news/another-lawsuit-jesse-ventura-back-in-court-against-chris-kyle-american-sniper/

Forum rules prevent me from saying what I think of this -deleted-.

What.... of this bloke who told insulting and defamatory lies in his book to increase sales?

Former Navy SEAL Chris Kyle claimed in his best-selling booked American Sniper that he punched Ventura after the former Minnesota governor made disparaging comments about the military, including that the SEALs 'deserved to lose a few' over their behavior in Iraq.

You might want to mention that Ventura gave him several opportunities to remove said BS from the book before after it was published, and that the publicity over it effectively ended his career.

The award was for defamation and unjuist enrichment.

It's only logical that with more money being generated, including book sales, he's entitled to file suit again.

Besides which your second link does not mention the defamation, nor does it mention that the case is against Harper Collins, not the family.

Although I think he'd do himself a huge favour if he donates the proceedings, or at least a healthy chunk of them, to charity.

Edited February 10, 2015 by Chicog

[Chicog]

Oh, and I meant to say that with the hysterical reaction to the movie, I don't think the shooter is going to get much consideration for being mentally ill. But at least they aren't seeking the death penalty.

[JetsetBkk]

What.... of this bloke who told insulting and defamatory lies in his book to increase sales?

Former Navy SEAL Chris Kyle claimed in his best-selling booked American Sniper that he punched Ventura after the former Minnesota governor made disparaging comments about the military, including that the SEALs 'deserved to lose a few' over their behavior in Iraq.

You might want to mention that Ventura gave him several opportunities to remove said BS from the book before it was published, and that the publicity over it effectively ended his career.

The award was for defamation and unjuist enrichment.

It's only logical that with more money being generated, including book sales, he's entitled to file suit again.

Besides which your second link does not mention the defamation, nor does it mention that the case is against Harper Collins, not the family.

Although I think he'd do himself a huge favour if he donates the proceedings, or at least a healthy chunk of them, to charity.

Kyle didn't actually name Ventura in the book - just used a nick name for him: Scruff Face.

Sorry I didn't give a comprehensive list of links in my post. I was hoping people would do a bit of Googling for themselves.

your second link does not mention the defamation, nor does it mention that the case is against Harper Collins, not the family.

Did you not read the third paragraph? It mentions that the lawsuit is against the publisher:

The latest lawsuit, a naked grab at money from a deceased hero, is against the books publisher, Harper Collins.

...and that the court documents mention "the false and defamatory story about Ventura".

So Ventura's career is effectively ended? Wow! It's even better than I thought.

(If you're thinking that I never liked Ventura in the first place, you're dead right. )

[Chicog]

Kyle didn't actually name Ventura in the book - just used a nick name for him: Scruff Face.

No but he identified him as the character on - what else? - Fox News.

Did you not read the third paragraph? It mentions that the lawsuit is against the publisher:

Sorry I missed that, but your post implied he was suing the estate again.

The latest lawsuit, a naked grab at money from a deceased hero, is against the books publisher, Harper Collins.

...and that the court documents mention "the false and defamatory story about Ventura".

So Ventura's career is effectively ended? Wow! It's even better than I thought.

(If you're thinking that I never liked Ventura in the first place, you're dead right. )

I think he was perfectly entitled to sue, the onus was on him to prove the case and he won.

I don't actually know the bloke, but what Kyle did was wrong and the jury agreed.

He's entitled to go after the publisher if they have made profits from the book, the success of which largely hinged on this piece of false celebrity gossip.

You might not like him and the chances are he'll go away after this, the negative publicity its generated will live with him till he dies, so he's entitled to redress.

It's a sad fact that when Fox throws enough faecal matter at something, a lot of it sticks in the minds of many of their viewers, regardless of whether or not it's true.

[JetsetBkk]

I think he was perfectly entitled to sue, the onus was on him to prove the case and he won.

I don't actually know the bloke, but what Kyle did was wrong and the jury agreed.

He's entitled to go after the publisher if they have made profits from the book, the success of which largely hinged on this piece of false celebrity gossip.

You might not like him and the chances are he'll go away after this, the negative publicity its generated will live with him till he dies, so he's entitled to redress.

It's a sad fact that when Fox throws enough faecal matter at something, a lot of it sticks in the minds of many of their viewers, regardless of whether or not it's true.

I didn't know about the Fox connection, but I'm not surprised they would pick up on the story.

But I find Ventura a person that is not easy to like...

[Chicog]

Yeah I watched a bit of YouTube. He is a tad.... Gruff.

[snarky66]

Great book. Great movie. Chris kyle is an American hero. We need 50000 more just like him to wipe out the Islamist scourge.

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

no disrespect intended, but in hindsight, don't you think it is a really bad idea to take a mentally unstable person with PTSD to a gun range?

[NeverSure]

no disrespect intended, but in hindsight, don't you think it is a really bad idea to take a mentally unstable person with PTSD to a gun range?

All other things being equal, yes definitely. I would never do it.