“American Sniper” Trial Moves Toward Jury

STEPHENVILLE, Texas (AP) — Prosecution rebuttal witnesses are set to take the stand as the trial of an ex-Marine charged with killing "American Sniper" author Chris Kyle and another man moves closer to jury deliberations.

After the testimony that's to begin Friday, jurors will hear closing arguments before they start deciding Eddie Ray Routh's (rowth) fate. He's charged with capital murder in the February 2013 deaths of Kyle and Chad Littlefield at a shooting range in Texas.

Prosecutors are not seeking the death penalty for Routh, so a conviction would bring an automatic sentence of life in prison without parole.

Routh's attorneys are pursuing an insanity defense and rested their case Thursday.

The trial of the 27-year-old Routh has drawn intense interest, partly because of an Oscar-nominated film based on Kyle's memoir.