If the defense fits: Dont toss out the insanity defense yet for Loughner

Accused AZ shooter posed for photos with gun and g-string
Police Friday revealed they now have photos of Jared Loughner, the accused shooter in last Saturday's attack against Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, posing in a red g-string holding a Glock 9 mm pistol, according to a report at the Politico by Jennifer Epstein. Police have not made the photos public. According to a report at NPR, Loughner took the photos either the day before or night before the shooting. The photos reportedly show Loughner posing in the skimpy briefs with the pistol near...

Ariz. Shooting Trial Set to Become Long
(FOXNews.com) - As Tucson residents seek closure to Saturday's Mass Shooting with a series of Vigils, memorials and Funeral services, a new and likely painful chapter opens this month with a legal trial that could last another year or more, FOXNews.com reported Thursday. Early signals out of the courtroom in Phoenix suggest the case will be marked by a breathtaking number of motions as defense attorney Judy Clarke seeks to spare her client, accused shooter Jared Lee Loughner, 22, from the death ...

Pictures Of Loughner Posing With Gun In G-String Emerge
AP As the week has gone on, more and more unnerving details have emerged about Jared Lee Loughner, the accused shooter in last weekend's attempted Assassination of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords which left six dead and 14 others injured. But late today, the Times reports on a particularly strange new development: Law Enforcement officials say they have multiple photos of Loughner posing with a Glock 9mm pistol next to his "naked buttocks and dressed in a bright red g-string." It's reportedly the sam...

FBI finds another alleged home-grown jihadi in Pennsylvania
A Federal Judge denied Emerson Begolly a pretrial release to a halfway house yesterday after the FBI produced evidence that the 21-year-old “loner” had corresponded on a radical Jihadi website about methods of committing terroristic acts. The defense objected to his detention, arguing that the evidence pulled together by Federal Prosecutors all consisted of constitutionally protected rights of bearing arms and free Speech: A 21-year-old loner from Armstrong County had an arsenal in...

Defense Alleges 'Relationship' Between Alleged Jihadist's Mom And FBI Agent
In an attempt to secure the release of Emerson Begolly, the 21-year-old Nazi-dressing alleged Jihad enthusiast who allegedly bit two FBI agents, his Defense Lawyer alleged in court documents Wednesday that one of the agents had a romantic relationship with the suspect's estranged, alcoholic mother. But Special Agent William J. Crowley of the FBI's Pittsburgh office told TPM that the bureau "categorically denies" any romantic relationship between Special Agent Bradley Orsini and Begolly's mothe...

Former delegate pleads not guilty just a few blocks from General Assembly
Former Virginia Del. Phillip A. Hamilton (R-Newport News) pleaded Not Guilty to federal Bribery and Extortion charges in a Richmond courtroom Thursday. Hamilton, who was one of the legislature's Most Powerful Budget appropriators until he was defeated in 2009 after it emerged that he was under federal investigation, was arraigned before U.S. District Court Judge Henry E. Hudson just a few blocks from where his former colleagues are at work on day two of the annual legislative session. The charge...

Death Threats Against Palin Caught on Youtube
Death threats against former Vice Presidential Candidate Sarah Palin have spiked on the Social Networking site Twitter ever since the January 8 Tucson Shooting Spree. An individual who goes by the Nom de Web of "trackerkan" screen captured a rather large number of "tweets" that either advocated the Murder of Palin, or wished violence upon her in different situations, such as hoping she'd commit Suicide. "Listen. I don’t want much from Sarah Palin. I just want her to admit pa...

Conviction in Sweet 16 party shooting
The courtroom erupted in crying and some wailing when the Guilty verdict against Bobby Prince McGowan, 19, was read, according to those present. Additional deputies were dispatched to the courtroom. The verdict came after an afternoon of deliberations and a week-long trial. McGowan will be sentenced to life in Prison Feb. 2. verdict was read, Police say McGowan entered the hall shortly after midnight on Dec. 19, 2008 and shot into the crowd, part of a ...

Ex-police chief found not guilty in Mass. shooting case
The shooting event had been organized and sponsored by former Pelham Police Chief Edward D. Fleury, who had been charged with involuntary Manslaughter. The child, Christopher Bizilj, was killed instantly by a shot to his head while firing a 9mm micro Uzi submachine gun. The boy's father, Dr. Charles Bizilj, had videotaped the accident and jurors viewed the tape. The father had also signed a liability waiver allowing Christopher and his older brother Colin, 11, to shoot. Fleury's defense attorne...

Mass. jury acquits ex-cop in boys Uzi death
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (AP) — A Massachusetts jury has acquitted a gun fair organizer of Manslaughter in the 2008 death of an 8-year-old boy who accidentally shot himself in the head with an Uzi submachine gun. A Hampden Superior Court jury found former Pelham Police Chief Edward Fleury Not Guilty on Friday of involuntary Manslaughter and other charges in the death of Christopher Bizilj (buh-SEEL’) of Ashford, Conn. The charge carried up to 20 years on Prison. A prosecutor argued Fleury ...

Innocence Project
Innocence Project by digby Illinois just outlawed the death penalty. And well they should, since they found out that their legal system was a corrupt failure and innocent people were being convicted left and right. But I want to highlight this other uplifting story because it's just so great --- and so tragic --- that it's worth putting in the same context. It's the story of a man who was wrongfully convicted, became a jailhouse lawyer and got himself freed. I doubt that most innocent people...

Lawrence Taylor to Register as Sex Offender
Like this Story? Share it: (AP) NEW CITY, N.Y. - Former NFL star Lawrence Taylor pleaded guilty Thursday to sexual misconduct and patronizing a Prostitute, Misdemeanor charges that carry no jail time but require him to register as a Sex Offender. The 51-year-old ex-linebacker, who led the New York Giants to Super Bowl titles in 1987 and 1991, will serve six years Probation. “She told me she was 19,” Taylor said in court as he admitted having sex with a prostitute who turned out to be...

Sex Offender Registry Awaits Ex-Giant Lawrence Taylor
Lawrence Taylor Leaving Court On Jan. 13, 2011/Juliet Papa NEW CITY, N.Y. (AP) — Former NFL star Lawrence Taylor admitted in court to paying a 16-year-old runaway for sex as he pleaded guilty to sexual misconduct and patronizing a Prostitute. The 51-year-old ex-linebacker, who led the New York Giants to Super Bowl titles in 1987 and 1991, will serve six years’ Probation and must register as a Sex Offender. “She told me she was 19,” Taylor, standing with his hands clasped ...

George Gascn's move to D.A. elicits mixed views
Supporters and skeptics of George Gascón's extraordinary Hall of Justice move from Police Chief to District Attorney agree that it has the potential to bring San Francisco's top Law Enforcement agencies closer together after years of friction. What they don't agree on is whether that's a good thing. The cooperation between cops and prosecutors is critical to keeping the public safe. But a District Attorney is also a steward of justice and a Watchdog of the police, and the priorities of each gr...

Dont kill him
Today’s New York Times reports that San Diego Federal Judge Larry Alan Burns was appointed to oversee the Tucson Murder case. Apparently, one factor in his selection was Burns’s experience in federal death penalty cases. Until I read that, I hadn’t thought much about what would happen to Jared Loughner, who committed this atrocity. I don’t oppose the death penalty in all cases, certainly not in all cases of mass murder. I don’t know very much about Loughner’s...

Police: Loughner Had 3 Pistol Clips to Spare
Like this Story? Share it: Despite allegations that the suspected Tucson shooter Jared Loughner was mentally ill, it is still unclear the role it played in the deadly rampage. Katie Couric reports on the latest of Mental Health laws in the U.S. Erica Hill speaks with Jared Lee Loughner's ex-girlfriend Kelsey Hawkes about her shock upon learning he opened fire on a group of people in Tucson, Ariz. New revelations have been made in the Jared Lee Loughner investigation including his brush with the ...

Illinois execution bill may alter Coleman trial
Christian Gooden Tuesday May 19, 2009 -- Columbia - Christopher Coleman sits in a squad car at the Columbia Police Department awating transport Tuesday to the Monroe County Jail for the Murder of his wife Sherri Coleman and two sons, Garett and Gavin. Christian Gooden [email protected] WATERLOO • Illinois legislators' passage of a bill to abolish the death penalty has sent lawyers for accused killer Christopher Coleman scrambling to try to delay his trial until the law can take e...

A New Judge For the Giffords Case and An Early Problem For Him
As you may know, every member of the Arizona Federal Judiciary has been recused in full from further participation in the criminal case against Jared Lee Loughner. This was inevitable in light of the fact the top line Murder Victim in the case was their friend, and Chief Judge, John Roll. We now know who has been appointed from outside of the Arizona District to handle all further proceedings in the matter. By Order of 9th Circuit Chief Judge Alex Kozinski, that would be Judge Larry A. Burns o...

U.S. accuses man of threatening regulators
NEW YORK | Fri Jan 14, 2011 12:34pm EST NEW YORK (Reuters) - Federal Prosecutors unsealed a complaint on Friday accusing a New York man of threatening to kill 47 current and former officials at U.S. regulatory agencies. The government said Vincent McCrudden of Long Island made the threat after the Commodity Futures Trading Commission brought a civil enforcement action accusing him and two companies he controls of operating unregistered commodity pools. Bruce Barket, a lawyer for McCrudden who...

Purported trader arrested for government threats
NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- A man identified as a former commodities trader has been arrested on charges that he issued online threats to kill government officials, the FBI and Federal Prosecutors said Friday. McCrudden, 49, was picked up at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey late Thursday after he disembarked from an overseas flight, probably from Singapore, the FBI said. Email Print He was arrested on two counts of transmitted threat, said FBI spokesman Richard Kolko. McCrudden's ...

Funeral Held For 9-Year-Old Victim Of Tucson Shooting
American Flag recovered from Ground Zero after the 9/11 attacks, outside the entrance at the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church for the Funeral of 9-year-old Christina Taylor Green (AP) Yesterday, hundreds of mourners gathered in Arizona for the Funeral of 9-year-old Christina Taylor Green, one of the Victims killed in last weekend's tragic shooting in Tucson. A U.S. flag recovered from Ground Zero was hung up outside the church as part of the ceremony, the first Funeral for one of the six people ...

God Never Apologizes -- But Don't You Think It's About Time He Did?
The sins that have been committed against humanity and in the name of God are, like Satan's followers, Legion. History looks a lot like the infinite expanse of dead and dying Soldiers in Gone With The Wind. Religious strife litters humanity's past and "Peace On Earth, Good Will Towards Men" seems like a bad joke. And it will stay that way as long as there are "men of God" campaigning for the sake of righteousness. Beyond Westboro The instance of Jared Lee Laughner's horrendous Assassination a...

Court upholds conviction for killing S.F. cop
(01-13) 18:32 PST San Francisco -- A state appeals court upheld a San Francisco Gang Member's second-degree Murder conviction and life-without-parole sentence Thursday for gunning down an undercover Police Officer, a killing that became an issue in the recent Attorney General's election. David Hill was convicted of murdering San Francisco police Officer Isaac Espinoza, 29, and attempting to kill his partner, Officer Barry Parker. Hill opened fire with an AK-47 rifle after Espinoza stopped him...

Court upholds conviction for killing S.F. cop
(01-13) 18:32 PST San Francisco -- A state appeals court upheld a San Francisco Gang Member's second-degree Murder conviction and life-without-parole sentence Thursday for gunning down an undercover Police Officer, a killing that became an issue in the recent Attorney General's election. David Hill was convicted of murdering San Francisco police Officer Isaac Espinoza, 29, and attempting to kill his partner, Officer Barry Parker. Hill opened fire with an AK-47 rifle after Espinoza stopped him...

Body of Michaela returned to NI
The body of Michaela McAreavey has arrived back in Northern Ireland. Members of her family met the plane carrying her body home from Mauritius at George Best Belfast City Airport. Mrs McAreavey, 27, daughter of Tyrone Gaelic football boss Mickey Harte, was found murdered in her Honeymoon Hotel Room on Monday. Three men have been charged in connection with the Murder. Earlier, the Prime Minister of Mauritius said he would like to see the country return to using the death penalty in murder cases...