Transcripts For WPVI Nightline 20150225 : vimarsana.com

Of songs that tugs at our heartstrings . But first, the nightline five. Good evening. We have breaking news as we come on the air tonight. The verdict is in for the american sniper trial. The jury finding troubled eczema reason Eddie Ray Routh guilty of murdering chris kyle and another fellow army veteran in cold blood. A poignant final chapter to a story that continues to captivate our country. All rise after nine days of an involved and emotional murder trial, the judge delivered the jurys verdict in this hushed courtroom. We the jury find the defendant Eddie Ray Routh guilty for the offense of capital murder. Eddie ray routh found guilty of capital murder in the murder of chris kyle and chad littlefield. The jury of ten women and two men rejected his plea of not guilty by reason of insanity. The larger than life character played by Bradley Cooper in american sniper, we know the former marine killed kyle and little field that was never in dispute. The question, after weeks of testimony from almost 30 witnesses, it all boiled down to this. Was routh a coldblooded murderer, or was he so mentally ill he didnt know right from wrong when he killed the men . The jury swayed by the prosecution voted guilty. Confinement for life in the Texas Department of corrections without the possibility of parole. Late tonight, chads mother Judy Littlefield briefly addressed the cameras. We waited two years for god to give justice to us on behalf of our son, and as always, god has proved to be faithful. And were so thrilled that that we have the verdict that we have tonight. Chris kyles widow had returned to texas after a weekend trip to the oscars where she walked the red carpet clutching her husbands dog tags and talking to robin roberts. I wanted to be here to represent chris, obviously, and its not the ideal time to do that, but i still want to embrace everything that he should be here to do with american sniper was nominated for six oscars. And has grossed over 400 million. The movie cast a shadow over the trial. The prosecution and defense painting two different pictures of the accused killer. Hes gone to the well a deepwell, too many times. Its time for it to stop. If he doesnt know what hes doing, hes not capable of answering that question. Its like asking if the skys purple. Regardless of what the answer is, it doesnt get you anywhere. They say he was intoxicated and faked symptoms of Mental Illness for his insanity plea. The defense says he had been suffering from schizophrenia. Its been two years since he killed the two at a shooting range. The 911 phone call and the sequence of events that followed closely scrutinized in a trial that captured the nations attention. And tonight for the first time we are given access to the audio of the trial. The state will call taya kyle. The prosecution opened the case two weeks ago on an emotional note calling his widow to the stand. Who were you married to prior to february 2, 2013 . Chris kyle. With those dog tags in hand she tearfully recounted the last time she saw her husband. We hugged each other, and gave a kiss and hug like we always did. Kyle said she could tell something was wrong when her husband called her from the gun range. Didnt seem like normal chris . No, normally going out there, its beautiful. He feels really good about helping somebody. Usually hes making their day and he knows it, which is what you know, had happened earlier. He thought that the guy sounded really excited to go so he thought he was doing a good thing. So he sounded a little irritated when you talked to him that afternoon . Yeah. It was very short, and it wasnt short like hey youre interrupting a good time. It was short like i wish i could say more but im not going to because there are people around. Shortly after that conversation, routh fatally shot kyle and littlefield at close range. He fled in kyles pickup truck and lid police on a highspeed chase that at one point reached more than 100 miles per hour. This dash cam captures it all. One officer rams the truck, but it doesnt stop routh. The chase continues until mechanical problems force the truck to stop in the middle of the interstate. Routh gets out hands in the air and is swarmed by officers. The prosecution even provided another angle of his take down to show that routh is fleeing from police which they say proves he knew what he did was wrong. The jurors also heard confession tapes. Here he is in the Police Interrogation video, head down on the table, hands cuffed behind his back. He sits up when the texas ranger walks in and asks him what he did. Routh gives rambling answers. Last week prosecutors called two experts building a case that he was not insane when he killed the two men. He did know what he was doing was wrong and did it anyway testified one who spent a year and a half reviewing the case and more than ten hours interviewing routh. He says routh was a heavy drinker and marijuana smoker who was drunk and high when he shot the two men at this texas gun range the defense on the other hand closed its case with a different doctor a psychiatrist who says routh was a schizophrenic and was so paranoid he thought kyle and littlefield were pig assassins, sent to execute him as parts pigs taking over the earth. But prosecutors say he made up the pig story after watching too much tv in jail. Hes a fan of seinfeld and boss hog. They went through emails routh left on the phone before the killings. They say the man on the phone is sick and doesnt know what hes talking about. He killed those men because he had a delusion. He believed in his mind that they were going to kill him. The jury also got a chance to see routh in the back of a Police Cruiser just after his arrest. When the officer asks if hes okay, he says ive been paranoid schizophrenic all day. I dont even know what to make of the world right now. I dont know if im insane. The defense says he also suffers from posttraumatic stress, but kyles sniper instructor who also battles ptsd insists its a treatable illness, not a defense for murder. I believe he was mentally ill, and thats a big difference. And had chris known that this was a person suffering from Mental Illness, not a veteran suffering from posttraumatic stress, i dont think chris would have ever found himself on the shooting range with this guy. Guilty for the felony offense. Tonight the jury found routh to be sane when he killed the men, putting him in life in prison with no possibility of parole, a dramatic ending to the american sniper saga. And ryan tell us what youre seeing. Reporter well, lets start with those deliberations. A lot of people surprised. Only two and a half hours. Thats it. The clerk telling us an hour of that was for dinner. The conventional wisdom means that short deliberations means guilty. Thats what we got here. Taya kyle has been here every single day of this nineday trial. But surprisingly she was not actually in the courtroom when the verdict was read. Earlier today, she was overcome by emotions during defense closing arguments when they were saying that eddie routh was insane. She got up she did not come back. We did, as you point out, hear from chad littlefields mother. Shes been very emotional from the beginning and today said she thanked god for this verdict. Ryan, our thanks to you and the entire team for us there in texas. Coming up. Driving in winter is tough no matter who you are, but especially if you have a fullblown phobia. Can one woman face her worst fear . 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With one tail topped with creamy shrimp and a second tail stuffed with tender crab. I was hungry already and now you show me lobster lovers dream® lets make this dream a reality. A delicious, delicious reality. But one that wont last forever, so hurry in. If you have a fear of heights, you probably try to stay away from high places right . For people who suffer from fear of driving winter phobia to stay away from slush. Snow ice, whiteout conditions. You cant do anything reporter driving in the winter can be treacherous. Im extremely lucky to be alive consider cause reporter causing pileups, stranded drivers. Most of us still brave the roads. Time to go outside. Reporter for people like amy andrews, even the thought of driving in winter causes overwhelming White Knuckle panic terror. I hate cleaning it off. Reporter she is crippled by fear. I now have to get in my car and go somewhere. Reporter over 2,000 people are killed every year in Winter Weather related accidents. Hundreds of thousands more hurt. For some this is enough to turn a normal fear into a fullblown phobia. This is a phobia, i know it is. Its just something i cant do. If i absolutely have to drive in this bad weather im shaking, and i dont breathe porlroperly. So i get lightheaded. My whole body is tense right now. Reporter amy lives in new england, which has been battered by winter. Her phobia has made new yorkal life nearly impossible. I had lunch plans today and the minute the sword, snow came into the forecast i freaked out. Reporter forcing her to call in sick to work. I dont like missing work. I like to be there. Reporter and checked the weather obsessively. Ill look at this hourly forecast probably five or six times. Reporter but amy is determined to conquer her feel. It seems stupid to be held back by. I live in new england. I should be used to this. Reporter so she is taking a bold step. I am ready to go learn how to drive in snow. Reporter agreeing to let nightline send her to a complementary class at the toughest Winter Driving a car is just a giant tool. And it responds to the input of the operator. Reporter the track is made entirely of snow and ice. A challenging course even for me, someone used to hazardous Winter Driving conditions. Whoops i totally panicked. I hit the breaks and did what you shouldnt do. And panic always makes the situation worse. Reporter but for amy, facing her worst fear could be too much to handle. I want to do it. I want to face that fear and get out there on the ice track, but i, and knowing that i am going to be purposefully spinning out really is making me nervous. Reporter and trouble starts before she even gets to the track. Im not going anywhere. Reporter she gets stuck on an icy road. Oh, my god reporter already, the first stages of panic set in. I dont know what to do. I know im going to cry in a minute. Reporter amy gives up and her car gets towed all before class even starts. Oh, god, im so nervous. Very much like your jeep liberty. This is a fullsize, fourwheel drive. Reporter it is a closed course and the head instructor will be with her the entire time. Oh, my gosh. Reporter but as amy slides into the drivers side shes already a nervous wreck. Struggling to breathe. Deep breath. Okay. Next orange cone. No brakes. No brakes. No brakes. See how that feels okay . Yeah. Now, if you had touched the brakes, because youre going down a hill, that would have not have felt so good. So there are times when the brakes are going to be your enemies. And often in Winter Driving, its your brakes who are enemies, when conventional driving you want the brakes. Reporter slowly she begins to relax. Each time i do it i feel a little stronger, a little more confident. Reporter knowing that just because theres snow on the road she wont spin out of control. Hard, hard, hard. Reporter even while braking on a snowcovered hill. That wasnt bad. Reporter and by the end, she is all smiles. I wish i had taken a class like this 10 15 years ago. See how she naturally stopped hyperventilating through the class made me feel good. Reporter and ready for whatever old man winter has in store for her next. I should be home just in time for another noreaster. Im definitely ready for this one. Reporter im rob mars yaw know live in steamboat springs, colorado. Charming not sincere. Into the woods, he showed his sensitive side but what had him and other actors bursting into tears . Abc news nightline, brought to you by macys. Im louis, and i quit smoking with chantix. Quitting smoking is a challenge and its a lot easier to go into a fight when youve got somebody thats got your back. Having chantix as a partner made it more successful. Along with support, Chantix Varenicline is proven to help people quit smoking. Chantix helped reduce my urge to smoke. 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Ask your doctor if chantix is right for you. Ive been drivin a lincoln since long before anybody paid me to drive one. I didnt do it to be cool. I didnt do it to make a statement. I just liked it. Lease an mkc for 349 a month plus competitive owners and lessees get 1000 bonus cash only at your lincoln dealer. Such a shame its labeled a getaway. Life should always feel like this. Hampton. We go together. We all watched as hollywood titans teared up listening to glory at the oscars but everyone has that particular song that puts a lump in your throat. It can even summon waterworks. The question is why. Heres abcs david wright. Reporter an oscarworthy anthem, glory, from selma, moving the starstudded audience in the dolby theater to tears. How is it that great songs trigger our emotions . The music itself inspiring us or inviting our empathy. Neverill find someone like you reporter any adele song, or Whitney Houston singing the National Anthem music has always had that power, but why . This is a music professor at columbia university. He was able to pull apart glory on the spot just after listening to it once. This particular song, thats a minor song. Thats a major chord. Reporter one of the tricks they use is something called the appogism a ism appogiatura. Its something adele uses. Its not just that songs are happy or sad, more that they take us along for a ride. Even pharrells happy. Happy is reporter a full range of happy. Happy and sad together like salt and caramel, thats why it feels so good. Salted caramel indeed. What makes your lip quiver . Let us know what makes you weepy. World news is coming up soon with breaking news. As always were online at abc news. Com. Yeah [cheers and applause] hey, hey im terry crews. And its time to get the fun started right here on millionaire [cheers and applause] todays returning contestant is a mother, a nurse and simply wants a new stove. So far, with 20,100 in her bank, she can get a pretty nice one. From san mateo, california please welcome sandy reiter [cheers and applause] hi, sandy. Oh, how you doing . So good. You just want a new stove, huh . Just a new stove. Whats wrong with the one you got . Well, its been broken for a few months. We just keep a big box of matches next to it, and we have to turn it on and then light it with a match. And something bads gonna happen real soon if i dont get a new one. Oh, yeah, we dont want that. We got to get you Something Real nice. Yeah, yeah. 20,000 one. Oh, okay. Okay. [laughing] all right, then. But it is great to see you again. And just to recap, you are still working your way through round 1. Youve banked 20,100, and are 8 questions away from the million dollars. And you have no lifelines remaining