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Prosecutors rest their case in 'American Sniper' trial
Published November 30, 2015
Prosecutors have rested their case Tuesday in the Texas capital murder trial of a former Marine accused of killing "American Sniper" author Chris Kyle and another man in 2013.
Before resting, prosecutors played a recorded phone call between Eddie Ray Routh and a reporter from The New Yorker magazine, The Dallas Morning News reports.
During the interview, Routh describes the events surrounding the killings of Kyle and his friend Chad Littlefield, at an Erath County gun range in February 2013.
"I had to take care of business. I took care of business, and then I got in the truck and left," Routh said in the call.
Kyle and Littlefield were taking Routh on the outing at the request of the troubled veteran's mother.
Routh also said he was annoyed Littlefield wasn't shooting.
"Are you gonna shoot? Are you gonna shoot? It's a shooting sport. You shoot," Routh said in the phone call. "That's what got me all riled up."
The defense entered into evidence five “long” guns that were recovered on the shooting deck at rough Creek Lodge. Defense attorneys pointed out that all these guns were very close to Chad Littlefield and that Routh could have thought he was in danger before the shooting.
The trial has drawn intense interest, partly because of an Oscar-nominated film based on Kyle's memoir.
Routh, whose attorneys are mounting an insanity defense, has pleaded not guilty.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
https://www.foxnews.com/us/prosecutors-rest-their-case-in-american-sniper-trial