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| ‘American Sniper’ trial: The family of Eddie Ray Routh details his downward spiral | ‘American Sniper’ trial: The family of Eddie Ray Routh details his downward spiral |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The prosecution rested in the murder trial of Eddie Ray Routh on Tuesday, allowing defense attorneys for the man who killed former Navy SEAL Chris Kyle and his friend to call to the witness stand several of Routh’s family members. | The prosecution rested in the murder trial of Eddie Ray Routh on Tuesday, allowing defense attorneys for the man who killed former Navy SEAL Chris Kyle and his friend to call to the witness stand several of Routh’s family members. |
| Routh’s attorneys want to show that he should be found not guilty of killing Kyle, who inspired the recent movie “American Sniper,” and Chad Littlefield by reason of insanity. Routh shot both of them multiple times at a rifle range at the luxury Rough Creek Lodge and Resort on Feb. 2, 2013, and then fled in Kyle’s pickup truck. | Routh’s attorneys want to show that he should be found not guilty of killing Kyle, who inspired the recent movie “American Sniper,” and Chad Littlefield by reason of insanity. Routh shot both of them multiple times at a rifle range at the luxury Rough Creek Lodge and Resort on Feb. 2, 2013, and then fled in Kyle’s pickup truck. |
| The witnesses called by the defense so far have combined to paint a picture of Routh’s erratic behavior leading up to the killings. They include: | The witnesses called by the defense so far have combined to paint a picture of Routh’s erratic behavior leading up to the killings. They include: |
| The mother | The mother |
| Routh’s mother, Jodi, was called to the stand on Tuesday as the defense’s first witness. She said he returned to Texas as a changed man after serving in the Marine Corps. His service record shows he did not see any direct ground combat, but his mother said he nonetheless was withdrawn after leaving the service as a corporal. | Routh’s mother, Jodi, was called to the stand on Tuesday as the defense’s first witness. She said he returned to Texas as a changed man after serving in the Marine Corps. His service record shows he did not see any direct ground combat, but his mother said he nonetheless was withdrawn after leaving the service as a corporal. |
| Routh was in and out of psychiatric treatment with both the Department of Veterans Affairs and a private facility, Green Oaks Hospital in Dallas. Jodi Routh said she had pleaded with the VA to keep him longer, but he was released shortly before the killings occurred. | Routh was in and out of psychiatric treatment with both the Department of Veterans Affairs and a private facility, Green Oaks Hospital in Dallas. Jodi Routh said she had pleaded with the VA to keep him longer, but he was released shortly before the killings occurred. |
| Routh’s mother plead to the VA hospital not to release Eddie. They kept him one more day and let him go. #snipertrial #ETnews — Autumn Owens (@aowensETnews) February 17, 2015 | Routh’s mother plead to the VA hospital not to release Eddie. They kept him one more day and let him go. #snipertrial #ETnews — Autumn Owens (@aowensETnews) February 17, 2015 |
| Routh’s mother plead to the VA hospital not to release Eddie. They kept him one more day and let him go. #snipertrial #ETnews | Routh’s mother plead to the VA hospital not to release Eddie. They kept him one more day and let him go. #snipertrial #ETnews |
| — Autumn Owens (@aowensETnews) February 17, 2015 | — Autumn Owens (@aowensETnews) February 17, 2015 |
| The family friend | The family friend |
| Donna Taylor, a Routh family friend, told the court on Wednesday that he worked at her cabinet shop the day before the killings occurred. She described him as sweet and kind, but also distant and disturbed. | |
| Donna Taylor, family friend hired Routh to work in cabinet shop says he was “sweet, kind, ready to help” #snipertrial pic.twitter.com/y34JUhvdwH — Sebastian Robertson (@wfaasebastian) February 18, 2015 | Donna Taylor, family friend hired Routh to work in cabinet shop says he was “sweet, kind, ready to help” #snipertrial pic.twitter.com/y34JUhvdwH — Sebastian Robertson (@wfaasebastian) February 18, 2015 |
| Donna Taylor, family friend hired Routh to work in cabinet shop says he was “sweet, kind, ready to help” #snipertrial pic.twitter.com/y34JUhvdwH — Sebastian Robertson (@wfaasebastian) February 18, 2015 | Donna Taylor, family friend hired Routh to work in cabinet shop says he was “sweet, kind, ready to help” #snipertrial pic.twitter.com/y34JUhvdwH — Sebastian Robertson (@wfaasebastian) February 18, 2015 |
| The sister | The sister |
| Laura Blevins, Routh’s sister, and her husband, Gaines, both testified on Wednesday. They are best known for making a 911 phone call the day of the killings (available here) in which Laura Blevins said Routh had visited their home in Midlothian, Tex., and confessed to killing two men. | Laura Blevins, Routh’s sister, and her husband, Gaines, both testified on Wednesday. They are best known for making a 911 phone call the day of the killings (available here) in which Laura Blevins said Routh had visited their home in Midlothian, Tex., and confessed to killing two men. |
| “He says that he killed two guys,” the sister said in the call, according to a 911 call transcript released shortly afterward and played in court. “They went out to a shooting range. . . . Like, he’s all crazy. He’s [expletive] psychotic.” | “He says that he killed two guys,” the sister said in the call, according to a 911 call transcript released shortly afterward and played in court. “They went out to a shooting range. . . . Like, he’s all crazy. He’s [expletive] psychotic.” |
| Laura Blevins told the court that Routh was not the brother she knew when he arrived at her house. But she also acknowledged he had numerous outbursts previously. | Laura Blevins told the court that Routh was not the brother she knew when he arrived at her house. But she also acknowledged he had numerous outbursts previously. |
| #snipertrial Eddie Routh’s sister, Laura Blevins, testified that she had reached her limit with her brother bc of his prior outbursts — Melody M. Lanier (@melodymlanier) February 18, 2015 | #snipertrial Eddie Routh’s sister, Laura Blevins, testified that she had reached her limit with her brother bc of his prior outbursts — Melody M. Lanier (@melodymlanier) February 18, 2015 |
| #snipertrial Eddie Routh’s sister, Laura Blevins, testified that she had reached her limit with her brother bc of his prior outbursts | #snipertrial Eddie Routh’s sister, Laura Blevins, testified that she had reached her limit with her brother bc of his prior outbursts |
| — Melody M. Lanier (@melodymlanier) February 18, 2015 | — Melody M. Lanier (@melodymlanier) February 18, 2015 |
| #SniperTrial Laura Blevins did not want Eddie around because of “outbursts.” She wanted him in treatment. pic.twitter.com/EIzN9iR2GY — Jim Douglas WFAA (@wfaajdouglas) February 18, 2015 | #SniperTrial Laura Blevins did not want Eddie around because of “outbursts.” She wanted him in treatment. pic.twitter.com/EIzN9iR2GY — Jim Douglas WFAA (@wfaajdouglas) February 18, 2015 |
| #SniperTrial Laura Blevins did not want Eddie around because of “outbursts.” She wanted him in treatment. pic.twitter.com/EIzN9iR2GY | #SniperTrial Laura Blevins did not want Eddie around because of “outbursts.” She wanted him in treatment. pic.twitter.com/EIzN9iR2GY |
| — Jim Douglas WFAA (@wfaajdouglas) February 18, 2015 | — Jim Douglas WFAA (@wfaajdouglas) February 18, 2015 |
| The former girlfriend | The former girlfriend |
| As noted in this piece, Routh’s girlfriend at the time of the killings, Jennifer Weed, has offered perhaps the strongest testimony on his behalf that he was struggling with mental issues. He had proposed marriage to her the night before, but they argued the morning of the killings, according to court testimony. | As noted in this piece, Routh’s girlfriend at the time of the killings, Jennifer Weed, has offered perhaps the strongest testimony on his behalf that he was struggling with mental issues. He had proposed marriage to her the night before, but they argued the morning of the killings, according to court testimony. |
| The couple, who met on the dating Web site “Plenty of Fish,” had a turbulent relationship marked by his outbursts, she said Wednesday. She added that she had asked him to stop drinking and smoking marijuana several times. | The couple, who met on the dating Web site “Plenty of Fish,” had a turbulent relationship marked by his outbursts, she said Wednesday. She added that she had asked him to stop drinking and smoking marijuana several times. |
| Weed and Routh met on the dating website “Plenty of Fish” #snipertrial — Ali Ehrlich (@ehrlichABC) February 18, 2015 | Weed and Routh met on the dating website “Plenty of Fish” #snipertrial — Ali Ehrlich (@ehrlichABC) February 18, 2015 |
| Weed and Routh met on the dating website “Plenty of Fish” #snipertrial | Weed and Routh met on the dating website “Plenty of Fish” #snipertrial |
| — Ali Ehrlich (@ehrlichABC) February 18, 2015 | — Ali Ehrlich (@ehrlichABC) February 18, 2015 |
| #snipertrial Jennifer Weed continues testimony. Says she gave Routh ultimatum: her or pot. pic.twitter.com/ksjy5NijvM — Jim Douglas WFAA (@wfaajdouglas) February 18, 2015 | #snipertrial Jennifer Weed continues testimony. Says she gave Routh ultimatum: her or pot. pic.twitter.com/ksjy5NijvM — Jim Douglas WFAA (@wfaajdouglas) February 18, 2015 |
| #snipertrial Jennifer Weed continues testimony. Says she gave Routh ultimatum: her or pot. pic.twitter.com/ksjy5NijvM | #snipertrial Jennifer Weed continues testimony. Says she gave Routh ultimatum: her or pot. pic.twitter.com/ksjy5NijvM |
| — Jim Douglas WFAA (@wfaajdouglas) February 18, 2015 | — Jim Douglas WFAA (@wfaajdouglas) February 18, 2015 |
| Routh’s GF Jennifer Weed says Routh had “hair trigger” temper. Told her he had killed before #snipertrial #wfaa pic.twitter.com/30peTFUafF — Sebastian Robertson (@wfaasebastian) February 18, 2015 | Routh’s GF Jennifer Weed says Routh had “hair trigger” temper. Told her he had killed before #snipertrial #wfaa pic.twitter.com/30peTFUafF — Sebastian Robertson (@wfaasebastian) February 18, 2015 |
| Routh’s GF Jennifer Weed says Routh had “hair trigger” temper. Told her he had killed before #snipertrial #wfaa pic.twitter.com/30peTFUafF | Routh’s GF Jennifer Weed says Routh had “hair trigger” temper. Told her he had killed before #snipertrial #wfaa pic.twitter.com/30peTFUafF |
| — Sebastian Robertson (@wfaasebastian) February 18, 2015 | — Sebastian Robertson (@wfaasebastian) February 18, 2015 |
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