The Latest: Video of slaying shown in courtroom
DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — The Latest on a North Carolina man pleading guilty to murder in the slayings of three Muslim students (all times local):
11:55 a.m.
Moments after a man pleaded guilty to fatally shooting three Muslim students, a prosecutor played a cellphone video of the slayings.
Women wept openly and a young man hurled an expletive at 50-year-old Craig Hicks after watching the video in a courtroom on Wednesday. The victims’ parents and siblings sat in the front row as the prosecutor played the video on a screen.
Prosecutor Kendra Montgomery-Blinn said one of the victims had turned the phone’s video on to capture an exchange with Hicks.
The video shows Hicks protesting that Deah Barakat; his wife, Yusor Abu-Salha; and her sister Razan Abu-Salha are using three parking spaces.
When Barakat responds that they’re not taking any more spaces than condo rules allow, Hicks pulls a gun from his holster and fires several times.
After the phone drops to the floor inside the front door, the sounds of women screaming can be heard and then several more shots are heard.
Montgomery-Blinn remarked that “In 36 seconds, Mr. Hicks executed three people.”
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9:45 a.m.
The North Carolina man charged with killing three much-admired Muslim university students has pleaded guilty four years after the slayings.
Craig Hicks pleaded guilty to three counts of murder on Wednesday in a Durham courtroom filled with dozens of the victims’ family and friends.
He also pleaded guilty to one count of shooting into an occupied dwelling.
Police said Hicks claimed the confrontation was sparked by competition for parking spaces at the condominium complex where they all lived.
The families of 23-year-old University of North Carolina dental student Deah Barakat; his 21-year-old wife Yusor Abu-Salha, and her 19-year-old sister Razan Abu-Salha said they believe Hicks acted with anti-Muslim hatred. They also said Hicks objected to the head scarves the women wore in observance of their faith.
