STEPHENVILLE, Texas (AP) — A Texas jury has rejected the insanity defense of a former Marine in the deaths of famed “American Sniper” author Chris Kyle and another man.
After a two-week trial in which jurors heard testimony about defendant Eddie Ray Routh’s erratic behavior, including statements about anarchy, the apocalypse and pig-human hybrids, they convicted Routh Tuesday night in the deaths of Kyle and Chad Littlefield at a Texas shooting range two years ago.
Routh showed no reaction as a judge sentenced him to life in prison without parole, an automatic sentence since prosecutors didn’t seek the death penalty in the capital murder case. As one of his victim’s siblings called him an “American disgrace” shortly after, Routh looked back at the man intensely but didn’t react otherwise.
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When a jury would rather begin deliberations over going home and coming in fresh the next morning, it doesn’t look good for the defendant.