US sniper suspect denies charges

Malvo made his replies in a polite, clear voice

The younger of two men accused of last year's sniper killings around Washington has pleaded his innocence at his first trial over the murders.

Lee Boyd Malvo, 18, replied "not guilty" when charged with murdering Linda Franklin, who was shot dead on 14 October in Falls Church, Virginia.

His lawyer told the judge in Chesapeake that he would argue his client was not guilty by reason of insanity.

Fellow suspect John Allen Muhammad is on trial for another of the killings.

Mr Malvo pleaded "not guilty" to two charges of capital murder and one of using a firearm in a felony on Monday.

His defence lawyers have asked the judge to dismiss one of the capital murder charges, which alleges that Mr Malvo committed an act of terrorism when shooting Linda Franklin, an FBI analyst.

Trials moved

He made his replies clearly and, when asked by Circuit Judge Jane Marum Roush if he was ready for trial, politely responded "Yes, ma'am".

His defence contend that he was brainwashed by 42-year-old Mr Muhammad.

The defence argues that Malvo was under the older man's influence

Both men could be sentenced to death if convicted, although Mr Malvo was only 17 at the time of the attacks.

Prosecutors are expected to try to prove that Mr Malvo was connected to many more of the 10 fatal shootings which terrorised the US capital in October 2002.

Much of the evidence, such as fingerprints on a sniper rifle, DNA from a tarot card and eyewitness testimony, points to his involvement in the attacks.

Mr Malvo's trial was moved to Chesapeake, 200 miles (324 kilometres) from the scene of the shooting in Falls Church, because it was deemed impossible to find an unbiased jury in the Washington area.

'Terrorism'

Mr Muhammad, who is accused of murdering 53-year-old Dean Meyers at a petrol station in Manassas, Virginia, had his trial moved to Virginia Beach - close to Chesapeake - for the same reasons.

That trial went into its fourth week on Monday with testimony from the director of security for public schools in Montgomery county, Maryland, Edward A Clarke.

Mr Clarke described how the sniper attacks had paralysed the educational system with attendance down to less than 10% at some schools.

His testimony is seen as important to the charge of terrorism being pursued by prosecutors under a post-11 September Virginia State law on terrorism.

They contend that Mr Muhammad and Mr Malvo had engaged in a form of terrorism.