The murder trial for former Navy SEAL Chris Kyle is underway in a Texas courtroom.
Taya Kyle, Chris Kyle’s widow, will be one of the first people to take the stand on the trial’s opening day in Stephenville, Texas. Kyle, whose legacy is portrayed by actor Bradley Cooper in American Sniper, and Chad Littlefield were both fatally shot on February 2, 2013 at Rough Creek Ranch-Lodge-Resort, a North Texas gun range. They duo were allegedly killed by Eddie Ray Routh, a fellow veteran believed to have mental health issues.
The murder trial, expected to last two weeks, consists of a jury of 10 women and two men. During opening statements, Erath County District Attorney Alan Nash said evidence points to Routh as the killer, describing him as “a troubled young man”. Jurors were read a text message exchanged between Kyle and Littlefield while driving with Routh in Kyle’s vehicle to the shooting range that said, “This dude is straight up nuts”.
Routh’s defense attorney Tim Moore will argue that Kyle and Littlefield were aware of Routh’s mental illness when they exchanged their concerns about him through a text message. Moore will also argue that Routh was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder at the time of the shooting and will plead not guilty for the murder of Kyle and Littlefield. If convicted, Routh will be automatically sentenced to life in prison without parole, but if he is convicted not guilty by reason of insanity, then Routh could spend the rest of his life in a mental facility.
