Summary If convicted, Routh faces life in prison without parole. Prosecutors not seeking the death penalty.
STEPHENVILLE, Texas: (AP) - A former U.S. Marine spoke of insanity, anarchy and the apocalypse when police tried to arrest him after the shooting deaths of "American Sniper" author Chris Kyle and his friend.
Much of the dramatic evidence presented by prosecutors so far in Eddie Ray Routh s murder trial, including the police video of his arrest, has outlined for jurors his actions and words on the day Kyle and Chad Littlefield were killed at a rural Texas shooting range two years ago. Testimony is set to continue Friday.
The case has drawn intense interest, largely because of the Oscar-nominated film based on Kyle s memoir that details his four tours in Iraq. The film has grossed nearly $300 million.
Defense attorneys are mounting an insanity defense for Routh. Prosecutors have described the 27-year-old as a troubled drug user who knew right from wrong despite any history of mental illnesses.
If convicted, Routh faces life in prison without parole. Prosecutors aren t seeking the death penalty.
On Thursday, the jury was presented a video in which officers spoke with Routh as he sat in the pickup authorities said he took from Kyle after fleeing the shooting range where Kyle and Littlefield were killed. He refused to leave the vehicle and eventually sped off with police in pursuit.
At one point during the chase, the video shows that a police vehicle rammed the pickup. Eventually the car became disabled along the side of the road.
The video showed officers trying to talk Routh into surrendering as he makes comments such as, "Anarchy has been killing the world," I don t know if I m going insane," and, "Is this about hell walking on earth right now?"
