Page 5 - Murder Count News Today

Correspondents, guests, well give you all the analysis you need. starting with martin savage. we have sunny hostin there as well. holly hughes and on the phone with us is mark omara. sunny hostin was in the courtroom and said it was very tense in there. it was a packed courtroom. you saw the davis family and they looked distraught. take us inside the courtroom and also explain to us the instructions the judge gave the jury and the possible outcome for all of this. >> reporter: injury. i mean, ...

Physical force into the vehicle as to the other three individuals? and the judge is saying, you know, you have to consider each count individually. now, its a close question as to whether thats an accurate thing to say to the jury because, less say hypothetically hes justified in firing at jordan davis and one of those shots hits another person in the car. is that attempted murder on the other person or is that justifiable because he was trying to hit the first person. so you see how complicated...

The first degree murder count, may be in fact one where they find self-defense applies and that would mean theyre considering a not guilty verdict on count one. >> you know, phil, i would find -- i think many of us would find it shocking, just given what we know of the case. this case has been particularly high profile, obviously in the wake of the zimmerman verdict and this issue that while stand your ground was mentioned, it not quite the center of this case. but the issue of sort of i think t...

Her own and dismiss the count. normally what they will do is let the jury decide, or, after the state has put or government has put on their evidence, then its appropriate for some sort of a motion for judgment of acquittal. i think it is premature at this point for the judge to dismiss the first-degree murder count. arthel: then, doug, something else the jury will have to decide is whether the defense claim that jordan graham was coerced to confess that her actions were motivated by anger. that...

>> no, sir, not at this point. >> is there any relationship between the suspect and these three people? >> at this time, we dont think there is but hadnt tied that loose end up yet. >> so sickening. gary tuchman joins me now. i understand the alleged murderer was in court today. what happened? >> reporter: burns had his initial appearance in court. he was escorted by police wearing a bullet proof vest and shackles. he got inside the small courtroom and the judge informed him of the murder charge...

>> no, sir, not at this point. >> is there any relationship between the suspect and these people? >> at this time we dont think there is but hadnt tied that loose end up yet. >> gary tuchman joins me now. the alleged murderer was in court today. what happened? >> reporter: burns was escorted by police with a bulletproof vest and shackles. he got inside the small courtroom and the judge informed him of the murder charges against him and burns then said, no, i dont have a job. no, i dont have a la...

>> reporter: burns was escorted by police with a bulletproof vest and shackles. he got inside the small courtroom and the judge informed him of the murder charges against him and burns said no, i dont have a job. no, i dont have a lawyer. and the judge said no, you will not have bond. so hes back right now in this jail behind me and still, anderson, the motive in this case complete and utter mystery. >> and likely another murder count will come? >> reporter: right, yeah, we -- were hearing from ...

>> well, it may be enough. >> and the other young ladies too. >> the significance is that they may seek the death penalty and they need that aggravated -- >> right. >> -- murder charge in order to get the death penalty, so well know if theyre going to do that probably within the next month or so, and thats the significance of the aggravated murder count. >> okay. now, lets move on to the george zimmerman murder trial in florida. were talking about, you know, proceedings getting under way monday ...

It says that when the indictment process is complete, the county prosecutors capital review committee will consider whether this case is appropriate to attach a death penalty specification. so that will be under review. there are strong indications they are going to go after the death penalty for ariel castro. of course, that indictment for one act of aggravated murder might precipitate that particular penalty, wolf. >> brian todd, stand by. jeffrey toobin is joining us on the phone. jeffrey, yo...

Before she did that, her report to us is, there is now a verdict. and the courtroom is silenced to the outside world. we have to wait and see whats happening, whether the jurors made progress on those two counts -- and we dont know which of the 250 counts or the nine against his co-defendant -- may have been. the judge sent them back and said, give it another shot. its possible that they returned a verdict on 250-plus counts but remain hung on those two. thats what were waiting to find out. it w...