Prosecutors Discuss Sniper's Execution

D.C. area sniper John Allen Muhammad is set to be executed in just four days by lethal injection at the Greensville Correctional Center in Jarratt, Virginia. Muhammad and his lawyers are waiting for a decision from the Supreme Court on whether it will hear a last-minute appeal.

Muhammad's lawyers claim their client is mentally ill, and should not be put to death. They have also asked Virginia Governor Tim Kaine for clemency.

As the execution date draws near, those who helped put Muhammad on death row are talking about the case.

In October 2002, the sniper shootings paralyzed the Washington region. No one-- not even children-- were safe.

John Allen Muhammad and Lee Boyd Malvo formed a killing team that would not be stopped until 10 people in Maryland, Virginia and the District were dead.

"The more they killed, the bolder they got and the more invincible they thought they were," said Prince William Commonwealth's Attorney Paul Ebert. "And every person that died they cranked their ego up a notch."

With Muhammad's execution approaching, FOX 5 spoke with the prosecutors who put him away-- Ebert and assistants James Willett and Rick Conway.

"He's getting what he deserves and I hope he realizes he'll get judged again by a greater power," said Ebert.

"I wouldn't waste my breath on him," said Willett.

"The death penalty is pretty much reserved for the worst of the worst and John Allen Muhammad pretty much qualifies in spades," said Conway.

During the trial, Muhammad represented himself for the first two days. His lawyers asked the U.S. Supreme court to stop his execution, claiming he was mentally ill.

"To me, this is a coward's dodge," said Willett.

"This was a calculated person, not the work of someone insane or mentally ill," said Conway.

They did most of their killing from the trunk of the now infamous blue Chevy Caprice. For the first time since Muhammad's last trial, FOX 5 got an exclusive up close look at the car and how the snipers pulled off one of most notorious killing sprees in recent history.

"It was a simplistic device, but an extremely effective one," Willett explained.

They created a passage from the backseat into the trunk and a hole just above the license plate for the barrel of the bushmaster rifle, even painting the inside of the hood blue so it would be less noticeable when the trunk was cracked open to shoot.

"Anyone who is familiar with the evidence in this case knows the almost military precision with which some of their planning was carried out," said Conway.

Ebert plans to witness the execution-- something he's never done in more than 40 years as Prince William's top prosecutor.

"You can see the hatred in his eyes and he has absolutely no regard whatsoever for another human life," Ebert said of Muhammad.

Muhammad's conviction for the death of Dean Meyers was the first under a new anti-terrorism law passed after September 11.

"We understood we were dealing with a terrorist, one or more terrorists-- we just didn't know it was going to be a homegrown terrorist," said Conway.

At trial, they say Muhammad took great interest in graphic photos of his victims. He never flinched.

"He certainly didn't have any remorse about it. He certainly took pride and pleasure in what he'd done," said Ebert.

Muhammad has never said why they killed so many innocent people, picked at random. Before he dies, it's unlikely the truth will be known.

"There's nothing mystic or mystical about John Muhammad other than another cold-blooded killer," said Conway.

All three say the sniper killings are the biggest, most horrific case they've ever tried. They hope to never see another like it.