The American Sniper Trial is Underway in Texas

The man accused of killing the US Navy SEAL that the American Sniper movie is based upon is on trial now in Stephenville.

Eddie Routh is accused of killing American Sniper, Chris Kyle, and his friend Chad Littlefield at a gun range in February 2013.  The trial got underway Wednesday.

KHOU and WFAA say text messages were part of the opening arguments and show that Kyle and Littlefield might have been a little leary of Routh, and wondered what he might be capable of.  They say Littlefield texted Kyle to "watch my six" -- meaning watch his back.  And Kyle had texted Littlefield saying, "This dude is straight up nuts."   Later on, Eddie Routh was taken to mental hospitals and the VA and diagnosed with severe mental illness.  The jury will have to decide whether Routh was so mentally ill that he didn't know right from wrong when Kyle and Littlefield were killed.

Reuters says "Hollywood Meets Reality..." with this trial.

Bradley Cooper stars as Chris Kyle in the American Sniper movie out now, and he's up for Best Actor at the Academy Awards February 22.  The movie itself is up for Best Picture, and it's still showing at Carmike Cinemas in Lufkin and Nacogdoches.