Beltway sniper attacks

The Beltway sniper attacks took place during three weeks of October 2002 in the eastern United States. Ten people were killed and three others critically injured by spree killers in and around Washington D.C. in various locations throughout the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area and along Interstate 95 in Virginia. It was later learned that the rampage apparently began the month before with murders and robbery in other states which had resulted in 3 deaths.

Aftermath

Criminal prosecutions

Virginia authorities were selected for initial prosecutions. In accordance with United States law, each man was provided free legal counsel at public expense since they were both indigent. Change of venue requests by defense attorneys were granted, and the first trials were held in the independent cities of Chesapeake and Virginia Beach in southeastern Virginia, more than 100 miles from the closest alleged attack (in Ashland, Virginia).

Related Topics:
Change of venue - Chesapeake - Virginia Beach

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During their respective trials in the fall of 2003, involving two of the victims in Virginia, Muhammad and Malvo were each found guilty of murder and weapons charges. The jury in Muhammad's case recommended that he be sentenced to death, while Malvo's jury recommended a sentence of life in prison without parole over the death penalty. The judges concurred in both cases. Alabama law enforcement authorities allege that the snipers engaged in a series of previously unconnected attacks prior to October 2 in Montgomery, Alabama. Other charges are also pending in Maryland and other communities in Virginia.

Related Topics:
October 2 - Montgomery, Alabama

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After the initial convictions and sentencing, one Virginia prosecutor (in Prince William County) stated he would wait to decide whether to try Malvo on capital charges in his jurisdiction until the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on whether juveniles may be subject to the penalty of execution. While that decision in an unrelated case was still pending before the high court, in October 2004, under a plea-agreement, Malvo plead guilty in another case in Spotsylvania County, Virginia for another murder to avoid a possible death penalty sentence, and agreed to additional sentencing of life imprisonment without parole. Malvo had yet to face trial in Prince William County, Virginia.

Related Topics:
U.S. Supreme Court - Execution - October 2004 - Spotsylvania County - Prince William County

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In March 2005, the Supreme Court ruled in Roper v. Simmons that the Eighth Amendment prohibits execution for crimes committed when under the age of 18. In light of this Supreme Court decision, the prosecutors in Prince William County have decided not pursue the charges against Malvo, after all. Prosecutors in Maryland, Louisiana and Alabama are still interested in putting both Malvo and Muhammad on trial. As Malvo was 17 when he committed the crimes, he will no longer face the death penalty, but still may be extradited to Alabama, Louisiana, and other states for prosecution. At the time of the Roper v. Simmons ruling, Malvo was 20 years old, and was held at Virginia's maximum security Red Onion State Prison in Pound in Wise County, Virginia.

Related Topics:
March 2005 - Roper v. Simmons - Eighth Amendment - Maryland - Louisiana - Alabama - Pound - Wise County, Virginia

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Muhammad's death penalty was affirmed by the Virginia Supreme Court on April 22, 2005. The high court said Muhammad could be sentenced to death because the murder was part of an act of terrorism. The court also rejected an argument by defense lawyers that he could not be sentenced to death because he was not the triggerman in the killings linked to him and Malvo.

Related Topics:
April 22 - 2005

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Muhammad, with his sniper team partner, Malvo, randomly selected innocent victims" Virginia Supreme Court Justice Donald Lemons wrote in the decision. "With calculation, extensive planning, premeditation and ruthless disregard for life, Muhammad carried out his cruel scheme of terror."

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There has also been speculation that authorities in Virginia may proceed with what is termed a "backup case" against Muhammad. The death sentence is under appeal. It is not clear how many other jurisdictions will be allowed to try him on the capital charges they have pending before he is executed. He is held at the maximum security Sussex I State Prison near Waverly in Sussex County, Virginia, which houses Virginia's death row inmates.

Related Topics:
Executed - Waverly - Sussex County, Virginia - Death row

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In May 2005, Virginia and Maryland announced that they had reached agreements to allow Maryland to proceed with prosecuting charges there, where the most number of shootings occurred. There were media reports that Malvo and his legal team have been willing earlier to negotiate his cooperation, while Muhammad and his legal team responded by fighting extradition to Maryland. Muhammad's legal team was ultimately unsuccessful, and extradition was ordered by a Virginia judge in August 2005.

Related Topics:
May 2005 - August 2005

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Maryland has agreed to transfer both Muhammad and Malvo back to the Commonwealth of Virginia after their trials.

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Regulatory, civil actions

According to the Seattle Times in a story of April 20, 2003, Muhammad had honed his marksmanship at Bull's Eye's firing range. The newspaper also reported that Malvo told investigators that he shoplifted the 35-inch-long carbine from the "supposedly secure store." http://www.neahin.org/programs/schoolsafety/gunsafety/stbullseye.htm

Related Topics:
April 20 - 2003

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According to U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) officials, the store and its owners had a long history of firearms sales and records violations and a file 283 pages thick. In July 2003, the ATF revoked the federal firearms license of Brian Borgelt, a former Staff Sgt. with the U.S. Army Rangers and owner of Bull's Eye Shooter Supply. Later that month he transfered ownership of the store to a friend and continued to own the building and operate the adjacent shooting gallery. http://www.jointogether.org/gv/news/summaries/reader/0,2061,565561,00.html

Related Topics:
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives - July 2003 - U.S. Army

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On January 16, 2003, the Legal Action Project of the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence, on behalf of the families of many of the victims of the Beltway sniper attacks who were killed (including Hong Im Ballenger, "Sonny" Buchanan, Jr., Linda Franklin, Conrad Johnson, Sarah Ramos and James L. Premkumar Walekar) as well as two victims who survived the shooting (Rupinder "Benny" Oberoi and 13-year old Iran Brown) filed a civil lawsuit against Bull's Eye Shooter Supply and Bushmaster Firearms, Inc. of Windham, Maine, the gun distributor and manufacturer that made the assault rifle used in the crime spree, as well as Borgelt, Muhammad and Malvo. Muhammad, who had a record of domestic battery, and Malvo, a minor, were both legally prohibited from purchasing firearms.

Related Topics:
January 16 - 2003 - Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence - Bushmaster Firearms, Inc. - Windham, Maine

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The suit claimed that Bull's Eye Shooter Supply ran its gun store in Tacoma, Washington, "in such a grossly negligent manner that scores of its guns routinely 'disappeared' from its store and it kept such shoddy records that it could not even account for the Bushmaster assault rifle used in the sniper shootings when asked by federal agents for records of sale for the weapon." It was alleged that the dealer could not account for hundreds of guns received from manufacturers in the years immediately prior to the Beltway sniper attacks. It was also claimed that Bull's Eye continued to sell guns in the same irresponsible manner even after Muhammad and Malvo were caught and found to have acquired the weapon there. Bushmaster was included in the suit because it allegedly continued to utilize Bull's Eye as its dealer despite an awareness of its negligent practices.

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The case had been set for trial in April 2005. After losing several decisions as the case made its way through the courts, Bull's Eye and Bushmaster contributed to an out-of-court US$2.5 million settlement. According to the Legal Center, it was agreed that "Bushmaster will also educate its dealers on safer business practices. The settlement is the first time a gun manufacturer has ever paid damages for negligence leading to criminal violence and the largest settlement by a gun dealer ever."

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After the settlement was announced, WTOP radio in Washington, DC, reported that Sonia Wills, mother of sniper victim Conrad Johnson, said her family took part in the lawsuit more to send a message than to collect money. "I think a message was delivered that you should be responsible and accountable for the actions of irresponsible people when you make these guns and put them in their hands," she said. http://www.wtopnews.com/index.php?nid=333&sid=265409

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TV movie, book

On October 17, 2003, on USA Network's USA cable station, a TV movie was shown that was based on the events that occurred in 2002's sniper incident. The movie's name was '. Also in 2003 a book written by former Montgomery County police chief Charles Moose was published.

Related Topics:
October 17 - 2003 - USA Network

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Effects on Society

The Beltway Sniper attacks may have permanently damaged the notion that mass murderers are primarily disgruntled and/or mentally unbalanced middle-aged white men. Indeed, eyewitness reports gave descriptions as erroneous as "A crazy white guy armed with an AK-47, driving about in a boxy white van." When in fact the sniper was, not one but two African-American men driving about in an old blue Chevy sedan.

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