Summary

Footage Information

ABCNEWS VideoSource
USA: TEXAS: LAWRENCE RUSSELL BREWER TRIAL LATEST
09/18/1999
APTN
VSAP153759
TAPE_NUMBER: EF99/1042 IN_TIME: 03:27:19 - 07:31:33 - 09:17:22 // 12:27:01 - 19: LENGTH: 01:48 SOURCES: ABC/KHOU RESTRICTIONS: ABC = No Access N America/CBC/Internet, KHOU = No Access Houston/Internet FEED: VARIOUS (THE ABOVE TIME-CODE IS TIME-OF-DAY) SCRIPT: English/Nat Accused killer Lawrence Russell Brewer blamed the dragging death of a black East Texas man on a co-defendant Friday, sobbing and saying he "didn't mean to cause his death." Brewer, testifying in his own defence, said it was co-defendant Shawn Berry who slashed James Byrd Jr.'s throat. That was before he chained him to the back of a pickup truck and dragging him along a bumpy country road. For the first time to Byrd family heard one of the accused killers tell of the murder. They said they didn't believe anything he said. SOUNDBITE: (English) "There's no excuse on earth for what he done, nothing, and I wasn't interested and I wasn't buying any of it and I hope the jury wasn't either." SUPER CAPTION: Stella Brumley, Byrd's Sister For most of the day Brewer was on the witness stand telling of his life in prison, the tattoos and letters that linked him to a white supremacy prison gang. He also finally testified about the night that Byrd was dragged to death. Brewer says it was co-defendant Shawn Allen Berry who killed James Byrd Jr. by cutting his throat. The broken toe Brewer received he says came from trying to break up a fight between Byrd and William King. He acknowledged spraying paint on Byrd to stop the scuffle. Then he says Berry took out the twenty-foot chain, securing the body to the truck. In tears, Brewer refused to look at grisly crime scene photos. The final question from his attorney, Quote: Did you mean to cause his death?" The response: I had no intention of killing anybody. James Byrd Jr.'s sister accused Brewer of making the whole story up. SOUNDBITE: (English) "I know he was lying in fact he himself said he lied about some things and so when you think about it and when the bird is caught in the cage - what will a man not do to save his own soul." SUPER CAPTION: Mary Verrett, Byrd's Sister Brewer's trial was moved about 150 miles from Jasper west to Bryan to escape pretrial publicity. The Brazos County jury of 12 whites and two Hispanics, including two alternates, is hearing the case. SHOTLIST: Bryn, Jasper, Texas, U-S; September 17, 1999 and file XFA ABC - Bryan, Texas - September 17, 1999 1. Lawrence Russell Brewer in courtroom 2. SOUNDBITE: (English) Stella Brumley, Byrd's Sister 3. Brewer in court ABC - File 4. Tattoos on Brewer's body 5. Close up of hate letter ABC - September 17, 1999 6. Tearful Brewer in court KHOU - File 7. Law enforcement officials leading Brewer to court 8. Law enforcement officials leading Shawn Allen Berry to court ABC - File 9. Injured toe of Brewer 10. File of spray paint can ABC - September 17, 1999 11. Various of law enforcement officials showing chains used to drag the victim 12. Brewer in court 13. Victim's family in court 14. SOUNDBITE: (English) Mary Verrett/Byrd's Sister KHOU - Jasper, Texas - June 9, 1998 - File 15. Law enforcement officials leading John William King to court 16. AP photo of Byrd 17. File of road where he was found 18. Area where Byrd's head was discovered 19. Zoom into cemetery where other parts of his body were found?
Summary
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