Two large speakers are set up on tripods in the center of the courtroom this morning in anticipation of playing the secret wiretap recordings essential to the case against Dale Hausner. While prosecutors have presented plenty of testimony and evidence in the past two months, little of it has linked Hausner to the string of 87 crimes he’s been charged with. But the wiretaps are expected to change that dynamic entirely.
Hausner (pictured) and his Mesa roommate Samuel Dieteman were reportedly recorded talking rather explicitly one evening in August 2006 about their body count and compared themselves to another serial killer.
The following is from a July 2007 report in the Tribune about the wiretaps:
The transcripts of that evening’s recordings say that Dieteman told Hausner: “The D.C. sniper is more experienced than us with more technology and know how.”
A few minutes later, the duo discussed the news media’s version of the death count: six.
Hausner said: “The death toll is higher than that. What about the (expletive) guy I shot at 27th Avenue and Northern?” He then called Dieteman and himself “pioneers” in killing.
“It feels good, doesn’t it?” Hausner said.
It’s not clear when the secret recordings will be played for the jury, but given the set up in the courtroom, it could take place as soon as today.
