INDEPTH: SNIPER ATTACKS
Timeline: Investigation and court case
CBC News Online | Updated May 24, 2006
Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2002
In the early morning, Baltimore police find a man sleeping in his Chevrolet Caprice parked on a city street. The driver, John Muhammad, presents his District of Columbia driver's licence and identifies his passenger as John Lee Malvo. The police take down the driver's name and his New Jersey licence plate numbers. They conduct a background check, find no outstanding warrants for Muhammad and let them go.
Sunday, Oct. 20, 2002
Investigators act on an apparent boast from the sniper and contact the police chief in Montgomery, Ala. about a liquor store robbery on Sept. 21 in which one person was killed and another wounded. A gun magazine from the scene has fingerprints from John Lee Malvo (also known as Lee Boyd Malvo and Lee Malvo), a Jamaican national living in Tacoma, Wash., whose prints are on file for an immigration violation.
Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2002
Police investigate the Tacoma, Wash. home where Malvo and Muhammad lived nine months previous. They remove a tree stump neighbours claimed Muhammad used for target practice, as well as other items from the home's yard.
Investigators run a check on Muhammad's name and find the Baltimore police report from Oct. 8.
Authorities issue a federal arrest warrant for Muhammad for firearms violations and say he may be travelling with a juvenile, Malvo.
Police in the D.C. area search for a blue or burgundy 1990 Chevrolet Caprice with New Jersey licence plates, the vehicle Muhammad may be travelling in.
Thursday, Oct. 24, 2002
A motorist spots the Caprice at a rest top near Myersville, Md. around 1 a.m. Police find Muhammad and Malvo sleeping in the car. Members of the sniper investigation team arrest the two men shortly after 3:30 a.m. on the firearms warrant and as material witnesses in the sniper case.
Police report finding a .223-calibre Bushmaster rifle in the car. They say they believe the two men are those responsible for the sniper attacks.
Law enforcement officials say ballistic tests on the rifle seized from Muhammad's car match the weapon to the bullets in all but three of the 14 Washington-area shootings.
Friday, Oct. 25, 2002
Prosecutors from Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C., debate over where trials should be held. Filing multiple charges, both Virginia and Maryland say they may seek the death penalty, but the latter can't execute Malvo because he's considered a juvenile.
Authorities in Alabama say they're also planning to seek the death penalty, naming Muhammad in the September 21 killing of Claudine Parker at a Montgomery liquor store.
Louisiana also lays charges, issuing its own arrest warrants after tests showed the rifle found on the suspects was the same as the one used in the September 23 murder of Hong Ballenger outside her beauty supply shop in Baton Rouge.
Saturday, Oct. 26, 2002
The FBI says a third man has been arrested in connection with the Washington-area attacks. Nathaniel Osbourne is not considered a suspect in the actual killings, but he's being held as a material witness after police found him listed as the co-owner of the Caprice found with Malvo and Muhammad.
Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2002
The U.S. federal government levels a 20-count complaint against Muhammad, accusing him of using a firearm in an extortion scheme, after identifying the handwriting on a note requesting $10 million US, found at the scene of a Virginia shooting.
Tacoma, Wash., police believe they can tie Muhammad to the February killing of Keenya Cook, whose aunt worked at Muhammad's auto repair business and sided with his estranged ex-wife after a bitter break-up.
Thursday, Nov. 7, 2002
Federal officials announce they're dropping charges in the D.C. attacks and the men will be instead tried first in Virginia, the state most likely to achieve successful death penalty sentences. Atlanta, Ga., police say the September 21 murder of liquor store employee Million Waldemariam might be connected to the so-called Beltway Snipers after ballistics tests confirm the weapon used also matches one recovered near the Alabama slaying.
Friday, Nov. 8, 2002
Muhammad and Malvo make their first appearance in separate Virginia courtrooms. The Washington Post publishes an interview with Mildred Muhammad, who says she believes the shootings were part of a plan by her ex-husband to murder her and gain custody of their children. She believes Muhammad came to Washington to kill her and that all of the victims "died because of me."
Thursday, Dec. 12, 2002
Judge Leroy Millette denies a request from FOX, CNN, ABC and other networks to televise the trial of Muhammad, saying coverage would compromise his right to fair trial. A trial date for Muhammad is set for October 14, 2003. Eight weeks are cleared for the case to be given enough time.
Jan. 10, 2003
Malvo's preliminary hearing begins as Virginia tries to show why he should be tried as an adult. The judge allows the hearing to be open to the public, despite arguments future jury pools could be tainted.
Jan. 15, 2003
Citing "strong" circumstantial evidence, Juvenile Court Judge Charles Maxfield rules 17-year-old Malvo can be tried as an adult. The ruling makes Malvo eligible for the death penalty.
Jan. 21, 2003
Grand jury in Fairfax County, Va., indicts Malvo on murder charges for the Oct. 14, 2002, death of Linda Franklin.
Jan. 27, 2003
Fairfax County Circuit Judge Jane Roush denies cameras access to Malvo trial.
April 21, 2003
Legal brief by prosecutors in the Malvo case says he willingly confessed to some of the shootings, and laughed as he recalled the reaction of a boy he shot at but missed. Defence lawyers say the confession was manipulated by police.
May 29, 2003
A Virginia judge rejects motions from Muhammad's lawyers that would dismiss a death penalty count, and ban victim-impact testimony from families of those killed.
June 18, 2003
Lead investigator Chief Charles Moose of the Montgomery County police resigns after negative reaction to his book deal on the investigation.
July 9, 2003
Fairfax County Circuit Judge Jane Roush orders Malvo's trial moved 300 kilometres away to Chesapeake, Va.
July 16, 2003
Judge moves Muhammad's trial from Prince William county 300 kilometres away to Virginia Beach, Va. Prosecutors do not object, since Malvo trial is already moved to that area. It will be more convenient for them to have the trials near each other, as they will likely overlap.
Sept. 15, 2003
Lead investigator Charles Moose releases book on the shootings, Three Weeks in October.
Sept. 23, 2003
Prosecutors at Muhammad's preliminary hearing say his anger at his ex-wife led to a year of violence, ending with sniper attacks.
Oct. 1, 2003
Sniper suspects appear in court together for the first time since their arrest. Malvo invokes his constitutional right not to testify against Muhammad, on the grounds he might incriminate himself.
Oct. 7, 2003
Prosecutors withdraw their motion to summon Malvo to testify against Muhammad.
Oct. 9, 2003
Lawyers for Malvo say he will plead not guilty by reason of insanity.
Oct. 14, 2003
Trial begins for John Muhammad on charges including two counts of capital murder for the shooting of Dean Harold Meyers on October 9, 2002. One count comes under a new anti-terrorism law. It is the first use of this law in a prosecution. The government must prove that Muhammad intended to terrorize the government and community, whether or not he was the gunman. Muhammad pleads not guilty.
Oct. 15, 2003
Jury selection begins in the trial of John Muhammad.
Oct. 20, 2003
Circuit Judge LeRoy F. Millette Jr. grants motion for Muhammad to represent himself. Prosecution and defence present opening arguments.
Oct. 22, 2003
Muhammad decides to allow his lawyers to once again take over his case. Judge Millettte agrees and Muhammad's lawyers are reinstated.
Nov. 10, 2003
Malvo's trial begins. Malvo pleads not guilty to two counts of capital murder and one count of using a firearm in a felony - the killing of Linda Franklin on Oct. 14, 2002. Malvo's lawyer tells Circuit Judge Jane Marum Roush he plans to argue that his client is not guilty by reason of insanity because Malvo was brainwashed by fellow suspect John Allen Muhammad.
Nov. 17, 2003
After six-and-a-half hours of deliberation, a jury in Virginia Beach, Va., finds 42 year-old John Allen Muhammad guilty of capital murder on all counts in 2002 Washington-area sniper shootings. He now could face the death penalty. He is also found guilty under new law of carrying out the killings to terrorize the population.
Nov. 24, 2003
After five hours of deliberation a jury recommends that convicted killer Muhammad face the death sentence for masterminding the sniper attacks.
Dec. 18, 2003
A jury in Virginia finds Lee Boyd Malvo guilty of two counts of capital murder after two days of deliberations. Malvo may face the death penalty, as the state allows for the execution of 16- and 17-year-olds. Malvo was 17 at the time of the sniper murders.
Dec. 23, 2003
A jury recommends a sentence Malvo of life in prison without parole for his part in the sniper killing spree, sparing him the death penalty. Malvo is also fined $200,000 US.
March 9, 2004
Circuit Judge LeRoy Millette sentences Muhammad to death, following the jury recommendation.
March 10, 2004
Circuit Judge Jane Marum Roush sentences Malvo to life in prison without parole.
March 1, 2005
The Supreme Court rules that the U.S. Constitution's eighth amendment prohibits the execution of those who commit crimes while under the age of 18. Malvo will, therefore, longer face the death penalty in further trials.
April 22, 2005
The Virginia Supreme Court affirms Muhammad's death sentence.
May 2005
Virginia and Maryland reach an agreement to allow Maryland to prosecute Muhammad and Malvo. Muhammad's legal team fight the extradition to Maryland, but ultimately fail.
June 17, 2005
Muhammad and Malvo are indicted in the deaths of six more people in the state of Maryland.
May 1, 2006
Muhammad's Maryland trial begins with jury selection. Muhammad, who is representing himself in this trial, grows frustrated as a majority of jury candidates say they believe Muhammad committed the crimes. He files a motion for a change of venue and a new jury.
May 5, 2006
Muhammad makes his opening statements in his own defence. "The evidence is going to show you that John Allen Muhammad is innocent," he says. "The evidence is going to show you that my son, Lee Boyd Malvo, is innocent. The evidence is going to show you a lot."
He asks witnesses to two shootings in Maryland whether they saw the shooter. All say they didn't.
May 24, 2006
Lee Boyd Malvo testifies that John Allen Muhammad was planning to extort millions from authorities to set up training camps in Canada to teach terror tactics to children who would be recruited from homeless shelters.
The first phase of the plan, Malvo said, was to shoot six people a day for 30 days, followed by a second phase that would include bombings of school buses and children's hospitals.
Malvo testifies that in the 13 sniper shootings, Muhammad fired 10 shots and Malvo three.
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