James Holmes’ plea change (from not guilty to not guilty by reason of insanity) has been accepted by Judge Carlos Samour, a change which gives the state of Colorado a great deal more freedom to investigate the mental well-being of the accused shooter. Holmes will now be transferred to a mental health facility in Pueblo, where he could remain for several months, and may now be given one or more “truth serums” as part of the state’s investigation of his mental stability. The change also led Judge Samour to admit into evidence a notebook that Holmes mailed to his psychiatrist in the days before the shooting, stating that the defendant’s insanity plea waives his right to doctor-patient confidentiality. (Photo via Andy Cross/Denver Post) source
He was selective. He had access to literally hundreds of millions of documents as an all-source analyst, and these were the documents that he released…because he was hoping to make the world a better place.Attorney David Coombs • Defending his client, Pfc. Bradley Manning, from U.S. Army prosecutor Capt. Joe Morrow, who claimed the young soldier “systematically” leaked information he knew would endanger the lives of his fellow soldiers. Pfc. Manning’s trial began on Monday, more than three years after his arrest back in May 2010, and the proceedings are expected to last up to 12 weeks. source
The US army psychiatrist charged in the 2009 Fort Hood shooting rampage will represent himself at his upcoming murder trial, meaning he will question the more than two dozen soldiers he’s accused of wounding, a military judge ruled Monday.
Major Nidal Hasan’s attorneys will remain on the case but only if he asks for their help, the judge said. Hasan, 42, faces the death penalty or life in prison without parole if convicted of 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted premeditated murder.
After questioning Hasan for about an hour, the judge, Colonel Tara Osborn, ruled that Hasan was mentally competent to represent himself and understands “the disadvantage of self-representation”. She repeatedly urged him to reconsider his request, noting that the lead prosecutor has more than 20 years of experience and that Hasan will be held to the same standards as all attorneys regarding courtroom rules and military law.
While Major Nidal Hasan has opted to represent himself, the judge has ordered all three attorneys from his legal team to remain in the court room, should Major Hasan decide he needs help at any time. Two of the attorneys will sit at the defense table with him, while the third will sit somewhere in the court room in case he’s needed as well. Jury selection is expected to begin on Wednesday.
A letter was intercepted at the Secret Service’s White House mail-screening facility on Thursday, after the deadly substance ricin was found in an envelope addressed to President Obama. Similar letters were sent to New York mayor Michael Bloomberg and Mayors Against Illegal Guns earlier this week, and the FBI is currently investigating possible connections between the letters. (Photo via Chicago Tribune) source
Chicago Sun-Times Lays Off Entire Photo Staff
The Chicago Sun-Times has laid off its entire photography staff, according to a report from the Chicago Tribune. Twenty full-time staffers received the grave news at a meeting on Thursday morning, leaving them jobless.
Moving forward, the newspaper will be strictly working with freelance photographers, a move that is expected to further cut down on costs in this already financially troubled industry.
Can we talk about how terrible this is?
Sen. John McCain Monday became the highest-ranking U.S. official to enter Syria since the bloody civil war there began more than two years ago, The Daily Beast has learned.
McCain, one of the fiercest critics of the Obama administration’s Syria policy, made the unannounced visit across the Turkey-Syria border with Gen. Salem Idris, the leader of the Supreme Military Council of the Free Syrian Army. He stayed in the country for several hours before returning to Turkey. Both in Syria and Turkey, McCain and Idris met with assembled leaders of Free Syrian Army units that traveled from around the country to see the U.S. senator.
According to the Daily Beast’s sources, rebel leaders told the Arizona Republican that they are beginning to run low on ammunition, and lack the firepower to continue repelling major offensives by the Assad regime and its various supporters from Hezbollah and neighboring/allied countries. Expect Sen. McCain to make a renewed push for increased U.S. support of the Syrian opposition upon his return to the U.S. Senate.
The reporter...
I can’t add much to what’s already been (and will be) ...
One of the perks of being an early employee...
Over the last 90 days, the Digg...
#FMMDI (at 30 Rockefeller Plaza)
Thanks. I guess my thoughts are as follows:
1. I think...
The Iowa Republican said immigrants that Ronald Reagan legalized by signing a 1986 “amnesty” bill were responsible for Obama’s election.
Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) said Thursday that President Obama would not be president if it weren’t for the 1986 amnesty bill that Ronald Reagan signed into law.
King is a leading GOP critic of efforts to pass an immigration reform bill, and has often said on the House floor that Republicans are overreacting to the 2012 election, which some Republicans saw as a sign that the GOP needs to get behind a reform bill.
Well, we certainly didn’t expect to see that headline when we woke up this morning…
The Boy Scouts of America will vote on Thursday on a proposal to remove its ban on openly gay scouts that has been in place throughout the organization’s 103-year history.
The vote by more than 1,400 delegates comes amid intense lobbying by gay-rights activists and members of conservative organizations. The proposal would not remove the organization’s ban on gay adult leaders.
Representatives from both sides have rallied in Grapevine, Texas, near Dallas, where the scouting organization is hosting its national annual meeting.
While much of the BSA leadership apparently supports the rule change, recent polls show that many of the people directly associated with the Boy Scouts of America aren’t as supportive. According to Reuters, an online survey of roughly 200,000 BSA members, parents, and leaders showed that the majority opposed the changes at a nearly 2-1 ratio.
CBS News has more information on an unidentified law enforcement source’s claims that Ibragim Todashev, the man shot and killed by an FBI agent this morning, admitted he and accused Boston Marathon bomber Tamerlan Tsarnaev were responsible for an unsolved triple homicide from 2011.
Copyright 2009-2013 Ernie Smith • Ask us stuff! • E-mail us • Follow us on Twitter • Follow us on Facebook
