Posted on 04/06/2006 10:34:20 AM PDT by areafiftyone
B>Former New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani has described seeing the horror of the 9/11 attacks on the city's twin towers.
He told the trial of Zacarias Moussaoui that he was unwilling to believe people were jumping from the buildings until he saw it with his own eyes.
The jury has to decide whether the self-confessed al-Qaeda member should be executed. Mr Giuliani is testifying for the prosecution.
The court will also hear from relatives of some of those killed in the attacks.
Mr Giuliani told the jury the image of two people jumping together from the World Trade Center, holding hands, stuck with him every day, the Associated Press news agency reported.
Describing the moment he saw people falling, he said: "I froze. I realised that in a couple of seconds, it switched my thinking and emotions. I said 'We're in uncharted territory'."
The human and emotional costs of the attacks, when hijacked planes were deliberately flown into New York's twin towers and the Pentagon, are taking centre stage at the trial.
On Monday, jurors said Moussaoui could face the death penalty. He is the only man to be charged in the US in connection with the 9/11 attacks.
The 37-year-old French citizen has pleaded guilty to six counts of conspiracy to attack the US.
During Mr Giuliani's testimony, the jury was played video clips of people jumping from the twin towers, the AFP news agency reported.
Close-up shots of the planes crashing into the buildings were also shown to the court.
Cockpit tape
Prosecutors are also said to be planning to read out the names of the 2,972 victims of the attacks, and show their pictures in court.
Before Mr Giuliani took the stand, prosecutor Robert Spencer told jurors they would hear from families of the victims.
He said that evidence "will be all you need in this case to sentence the defendant to death", AFP reported.
But defence lawyer Gerald Zerkin urged the jury to remain open to "the possibility of a sentence other than death", according to the Associated Press agency.
On Wednesday, Judge Leonie Brinkema ruled that a cockpit recording from the hijacked airliner that crashed in Pennsylvania could be played in the courtroom.
It is unclear whether the tape - which has so far only been played to victims' relatives - will be publicly released.
The judge has given relatives of the Flight 93 victims until Tuesday to request the audio be kept from the general public.
But she has said that if there were no objections, the recording will be released to the public the day after it is submitted as evidence.
Prosecutors want to use the recording to show the jury how passengers were treated by 9/11 hijackers.
The defence is expected to argue that Moussaoui suffers from mental illness and had a difficult childhood.
Well, it sounds like they might have been drinking since 8 A.M...
I was in California, at work. We were all horrified. Even the libs in Santa Barbara were traumatized.
So caring and thoughtful of you to keep the children of those first responders in your prayers.
Those are all our kids.
Let's be careful to not heap scorn on Cobra for recounting a truthful memoir even if it hurts so bad.
He did not descibe his feelings...he told of others.
For images of FDNY firefighters who responded to danger/evil and lost their lives that day go here.
Lando
While we are at it:
Michelle Malkin has an extraordinary story on her website about this horrible experience.
Its dreadful and wonderful all at the same time. You may wish to avoid it if you have a tender heart,because your life may change when you experience it.
You may also re-appreciate the wonderful American Michelle is in our presence.
http://michellemalkin.com/archives/004777.htm
Thanks for your opinion.
Seems you are 'punching before the bell rings'...
No Giuliani-Haters in this room.
But guys with a "damn the torpedos full speed ahead!" attitude are probably welcome here.
P-40? WW11 fighter plane. You must be in your 90's?
Wow..
Start your own thread, and don't hijack this one.
It's obscene.
He did'nt FB. Read more carefully.
But as far as MI is concerned, I had two college roommates who were Croation Uof M grad students...
these guys were pretty uncivilized.
Rugby players....those guys eat their dead.
Rudy was awesome.
He was "America's Mayor" on those sad days following 9/11.
If you do not agree with him on every issue and some of his activities in the past, fine. But he was important to NYC and the USA after 9/11.
This country needed Rudy and President Bush at that time.
What are you talking about? What does this mean?
"Start your own thread, and don't hijack this one.
It's obscene."
Next thing ,you will be swatting imaginary flys!
Jane Sissy:
Get a Grip.
I didn't post to you, so you do not need to respond...
Oh and by the way abortion does not need to be brought into every discussion. Now leave me alone.
Rudy was awesome.
He was "America's Mayor" on those sad days following 9/11.
If you do not agree with him on every issue and some of his activities in the past, fine. But he was important to NYC and the USA after 9/11.
This country needed Rudy and President Bush at that time.
I agree with you
Without interruption or break, it takes approximately:
5 seconds to name 2 victims; or
12 per minute; or
720 per hour.
2,972 victims at this relentless pace will take over 4 hours of continuous naming in the courtroom.
It was goofy, and we said so.
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