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tv   Nightline  ABC  February 26, 2015 12:37am-1:08am EST

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this is "nightline." tonight -- >> we the jury -- >> the american sniper jury. it's an abc news exclusive. the men and women who sent eddie ray ralph to prison forfor murdering chris kyle and his friend. what the killer said on this new he released interrogation tape that the jurors say helped justify their guilty verdict. as the defense now prepares for a new fight. what do this 11-year-old girl and this motorcycle-riding metallica-loving army man have in common? they are both fans of my little pony. >> she's the party pony. >> why a show targeted at little girls has found an unlikely subculture. and living for love.
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madonna may have taken a tumble at the brit awards but tonight she is very clearly expressing herself on her young rival lady gaga. but first the "nightline 5." >> if your dog can dream it purina pro plan can help him achieve it. ♪ purina pro plan's bio available formulas deliver opt natural nutrient nutrient nutrient absorption. nutrition that performs.
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good evening. tonight you are going to hear directly from the jurors in the american sniper trial, a story that has played out both in court and at your local multiplex. how did the ten women and two men on the jury reach their guilty verdict? here's abc's ryan owens with an abc news exclusive. >> we, the jury find the defendant, eddie ray ralph, guilty of the felony offense of capital murder as charged. >> reporter: the marine turned murderer will spend the rest of his life in a texas prison. for killing american sniper chris kyle and his friend chad littlefield. kyle's widow, the first tearful witness in this case, posted this on facebook today. "god bless the jury." seven of the 12 jurors who decided eddie ralph's fate sat down with abc news for an exclusive look inside their deliberations. >> no one wants to go to bed thing, i just put somebody away for life. you know, the only thing that gave me peace is that there was
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so much evidence. >> reporter: they say texas justice is swift, but this one was quick even by lone star standards. the jury of ten women and two men took only about two hours to reject ralph's insanity defense. >> the deliberations were pretty short. was this an easy decision? >> it was an easy decision based on the fact that we all kind of were on the same page going into the deliberations. there was so much information coming in that each of us grasped on to different little pieces of it. when we put it all together, it was like the puzzle just came together. >> reporter: life in prison wasn't punishment enough for some jurors. >> the state did not go for the death penalty against eddie ralph. if they had, show your hands how many think you would have voted for death in this case. >> reporter: three hands for death. these jurors say not one of them bought ralph's defense. >> in the very end this young man knew right from wrong. with a good conscience we had to say he was guilty of this crime. because he knew right from
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wrong. >> i've got a woman and a kid 200 yards out moving towards the convoy -- >> reporter: this courtroom drama which lasted nine days is the sequel to the hollywood blockbuster "american sniper." chris kyle, the deadliest sniper in u.s. military history, played by bradley cooper. >> did it add pressure to know that you're writing the real-life ending to this huge block buster? >> honestly, i never thought about the movie throughout this. we were there to hand down the judgment. and that's what we did. >> reporter: the case was never a whodunit. ralph admits he killed both men at this texas gun range two years ago. the only question for jurors was the former marine so mentally ill he didn't know right from wrong when he shot them both multiple times in the back? the prosecution began their case with chris kyle's widow. >> i need you to be human again. >> reporter: played on the big screen by sienna miller. >> who were you married to prior
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to february the 2nd, 2013? >> chris kyle. >> reporter: watching ingclutching her husband's dog tags she walked jurors think family pictures. >> that was easter morning. chris hiding easter eggs for the kids. >> reporter: detailing the last time she saw her husband alive. >> we loved each other. giving our kids a hug like we always did. >> reporter: and the moment she realized something was terribly wrong. >> then i texted. are you okay? i'm getting worried. >> did he text back? >> no. it's kind of hard not to -- not to put some of it together that i haven't heard from i'm and i'm worried, then a police officer shows up. >> it was mentally and emotionally exhausting from day one to yesterday. it was really tough. and there were several of us that did not hold it together. there was lots of tears shed.
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>> reporter: and a lot of evidence to sift through. like this interrogation tape where ralph repeatedly tells a texas ranger he knew right from wrong. the jurors say the way he answered this question invalidated his insanity defense from the start. >> you know what you did today is wrong, right? you understand that? >> yes, sir. >> reporter: he apologized to the two families. >> i'm so sorry for what i've done. if i could do it differently -- i'd do it differently. >> reporter: the defense hoped these videos would show he was psychotic, suffering from severe schizophrenia. >> ralph is insane and not responsible for his actions. >> reporter: insanity defenses almost never succeed. so in that context, this was a real argument of a defendant who had severe mental illness. and yet still was faced with an
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incredibly difficult legal challenge. which was to demonstrate that he simply didn't understand that what he was doing was wrong. >> it means he doesn't know what he'sing to he's not really capable of answering that question, like asking if the sky's purple. >> one of the experts diagnosed him with schizophrenia. this were other experts who thought he was legally insane. no, i wouldn't second-guess or i don't think it was a gamble. >> did you think eddie ralph was crazy? >> i don't think he's insane at all. i think he played the system. >> reporter: ralph joins a list of notorious killers who gambled on an insanity plea. john wayne gacy. david berk withes. ted bundy. theodore kaczynski. jeffrey dahmer. each failed or ultimately pleaded guilty. >> we will file an appeal this week for him. we think involuntary based on state of mind. that will be one specific thing that will be attacked on appeal. >> reporter: tonight, the jurors who rejected ralph's defense say
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they will rest easy after a decision that was anything but. >> you look out. no matter what was being delivered there's a family on one side of the courtroom suffering. there's a family on the other side of the courtroom suffering. knowing end of the day your decision is not going to fix any of this for any of them. >> reporter: that may be true but perhaps it's some consolation for taya kyle the widow who posted that "god bless the jury" on facebook with a link to this pete working. ♪ >> reporter: saying "this song is me, it is chris, it is me. it is all the people who carry chris in the hearts he left behind." i'm ryan owens for "nightline" in stevenville, texas. >> so what do you think of the verdict? should the jury have taken the insanity defense to heart? weigh in on our facebook page. coming up on "nightline," something entirely different. how a cartoon starring six
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if you were looking for three words with a high likelihood of alienating a dude in his 20s you'd do well to go with "my little pony." and yet somehow, this cartoon about pastel ponies has developed a cult following among seemingly normal grown men. they're called bronies. abc's david wright may have been coopted.
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>> reporter: jake is a motorcycle-riding metallica fan. >> staff sergeant jacob hughes i'm 29 years old, i'm from houston action texas. >> reporter: also an iraq war veteran. >> this is my room. >> reporter: chelsea is 11 years old, quiet, and studious. she wants to be a veterinarian when she grows up. what do jake and chelsea have in common? ♪ my little pony ♪ >> reporter: both are huge fans of my little pony. for those not familiar, my little pony is a cartoon and toy franchise owned by hasbro. the show mainstream and up for a cameo in a super bowl ad. >> apple jack. >> sparkle -- >> rain dough dash. >> piggy the party pony. >> reporter: little girls are the target demographic. >> the show is about little ponies who face problems, they become friends and they have to work together to solve every
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problem. >> well animated well written. >> reporter: surprisingly, grown women and men are into it too. >> a brony is an older man who likes the show "my little pony." >> reporter: it's a slightly touchy subject. >> they try to paint us as we're pathetic basement dwellers people living in their motorher's basement. no i'm not some out of shape, lazy, man-child. i have served my country dutifully for 11 years. i also like pastel-colored, talking ponies. got a problem with that? >> reporter: you know who doesn't have a problem with that? chelsea. she's intrigued by bronies. >> i am excited to meet the bronies. but i am a little nervous. because i've never really met a brony. >> reporter: it's hard to fathom the phenom of "my little pony" unless -- >> ponyland, here we come!
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>> reporter: you happen to have three little daughters who are obsessed with the show. just imagine the dad points i scored for wrangling vip passes to pony-con 2015. >> it's like a star trek convention for my little pony? >> you have to be careful. when you say my little pony, people think the 1980s my little pony. >> the next generation? >> friendship yes. >> reporter: the new one winks at grownups. there are pop culture references, including this nod to "the big lebowski." there's a vast online community connecting. the crowd at pony-con is into it, people letting loose their inner pony. >> testing one, two, three. >> reporter: the bronies are here in force today. >> you're a student at mit? >> yes. >> you're into ponies?
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>> yes. just like any other show on tv. watching like "breaking bad." watching "game of thrones." i just like "my little pony." >> what's the term for a female brony? >> pegus-sister. >> who knew. >> reporter: my three pega-sisters seem to be having a great time. most of it is geared to grownups. 11-year-old chelsea is having a field day. >> i'm looking at all the plastic figures. >> reporter: her mom not so sure. >> toothpaste? >> reporter: she's skeptical of the merchandising. >> they don't have this much selection at target. >> reporter: even more skeptical of the bronies. >> i don't understand what a 35-year-old man would have in common with my 11-year-old daughter. >> reporter: jake is here too today. sporting pinky pie on his shoulder. >> clearly not your first rodeo? >> no, sir. i have been to i think -- if i remember right this is my fifth
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or sixth pony convention. >> and the rest of the year? >> the rest of the year? you know, i'm just normal. i'm just jake. >> this is big mac into be apple jack's big brother -- >> reporter: he says when you dig deeper it's not surprising someone like him should be in the show. >> in the army we have the values loyalty, duty fs selfless service honor, personal courage. >> kindness, laughter, generosity, honesty, loyalty. >> if only we could all smile like pinky pie, the world would be a better place. >> reporter: finally, our fans jake and chelsea meet face-to-face. >> hello, chelsea, nice to meet you. >> you too. >> i'm glad you're the actual target audience of the show. >> yes. >> then the outliers. that's really cool. hope you're going to have fun. >> yes. >> that's the most important thing. it's your show, you're just letting us hang out. >> reporter: afterwards chelsea told me she feels like a pega-sister herself. at age 11 even she is beyond the show's target audience.
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she's part of the fandom. >> interesting to see how an 11-year-old girl and a 35-year-old guy can have the same interests. >> do you find it creepy at all or not? >> when i first heard about bronies i thought it was a little creepy. but then i met some bronies and i just was totally comfortable with it. and i wasn't weirded out. >> they seemed like nice guys? >> yes. >> reporter: the day ends with a fashion show. unlike any you've ever seen. tough choice but the winner is -- >> mary! >> as the father of three little girls, i guess that makes me a reluctant brony too. ♪ hello you are my lady ♪ >> reporter: david wright for "nightline" in new york. up next on "nightline," madonna expressing herself on the long-simmering alleged feud
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finally, madonna in the news for a fall and for some fighting words. ♪ >> reporter: on a day when this video of madonna falling at the brit awards went globally viral, we're hearing about new comments that indicate the material girl is doing much more than simply
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living for hoff these days. ♪ living for love living for love ♪ >> reporter: madonna now weighing in on her longstanding alleged feud with lady gaga. the beef? did lady gaga's "born this way" borrow from madonna's chafrk. "express yourself"? ♪ don't go for second best baby ♪ >> reporter: madonna expresencing herself once to and are all on the matter in next month's "rolling stone" saying "i felt like she blatantly ripped off one of my songs." her position on this controversy seems to have hardened since her interview in 2012 with abc news. >> it feel ss >> reporter: lady gaga denied the claim in 2011 saying "the only similarities are the chord progression, the same one that's been in disco music for the last
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50 years." it's not all harsh words. madonna took a moment to give props to the younger singer saying, "i don't think she wants my crown, we live in a world where people like to pit women against each other. this is why i love the idea of embracing other females who are doing what i'm doing." ♪ if you can't feel ♪ >> reporter: robin thicke can only hope the controversy over his allegedly borrowed song is put to rest so gently. the singer of "blurred lines" seen here smiling while leaving a court in california on tuesday where he is now entangled in a copyright fight. thicke and his co-writer farrell williams were in attendance for opening arguments in the trial to determine whether their 2013 hit copied elements of marvin gaye's "got to give it up" seen here on "soul train." ♪
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>> reporter: the jury will listen to both songs and watch thicke's past interviews on the subject like this one on vh1. >> one of my favorite songs was marvin gaye's "got to give it up." so we tried to get a little groove like that going. >> reporter: thicke later admitting, i was high and drunk every time i did an interview last year, there are some quotes i don't remember saying but i do generally remember trying to sell the tub on the fact that "blurred lines" was my idea in some way." nervous types for robin thicke but at least madonna and gaga seem to be on better terms. as for that fall madonna took, she later took to facebook to assure her fans that she is fine. thank you for watching "nightline" tonight. don't forget "gma" first thing in the morning and online 24/7 at abcnews.com. good night.
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[dramatic music] ♪ ♪ >> hey! hello! ah. ah! ah! ah! ah. i need to calm down. [laughs] hello, and welcome to millionaire. i'm terry crews. i'll be your host. and you can also check me out on brooklyn nine-nine. [cheers and applause]
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there's nothing we love more than giving money away to military men and women. today we have a veteran marine corps sergeant who would like to take a motorcycle trip around the country he fought so hard to protect. from new york city please welcome our first contestant scott sanders! >> yeah! >> man. >> terry, it's great to meet you. >> wow. great to meet you, sir. honor to meet you. honor to meet you. >> thank you. appreciate that. >> well, now, you were an-- an intelligence analyst. what does that mean? >> i was intelligence analyst in the marine corps, and what it meant was we kept track of who the good guys were, who the bad guys were, what the local villagers need, what the bad guys were up to and we gave all that information analysis to the commanding officer, so he could tell marines what to do what we needed to get taken care of. >> well, listen, we're gonna get you some money so you can take that motorcycle trip all the way around the country. >> i'm really looking forward to it. >> all right, you ready? >> yes, sir. >> all right, well say hello to our millionaire

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