
"American Sniper" Chris
Kyle described his killer as "nuts" in a text to a friend moments before
they were both shot dead by a former Marine, a court was told.
Defence lawyers for Eddie Ray Routh claim the 27-year-old was psychotic at the time of the shooting.But prosecutors say Mr Routh was aware of what he was doing when he gunned the pair down at a Texas gun range in 2013.
The hit film based on Kyle's memoir is nominated for six Oscars.
The former Navy Seal, who has the most recorded kills of any US sniper, was shot and killed along with his friend Chad Littlefield at a rural shooting range south-west of Fort Worth.
Having retired from the military he had been helping other veterans deal with combat-related stress and mental health issues.
A memoir by Chris Kyle (shown here in 2012) was turned into a film directed by Clint Eastwood
His level of psychosis was so high the day of the shooting, Kyle and Littlefield became alarmed, Mr Moore said.
He read to jurors texts that he said the two men exchanged while driving with the former Marine to the shooting range.
"This dude is straight up nuts,'' Kyle texted to Littlefield as Mr Routh sat behind them in the vehicle.
"He's [sitting] right behind me, watch my six," Littlefield texted back, using a military reference for watching one's back.
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