 United States District Attorney Patrick Cunningham (C) talks to the press following the initial court appearance of Jared Loughner at the Sandra Day O'Connor United States Courthouse in Phoenix. AP photo. |
The 22-year-old loner accused of trying to assassinate a U.S. congresswoman and killing six others, appeared in court and looked on impassively as a judge told him he could face the death penalty for the shooting rampage that shocked the nation.
Rep. Gabrielle Giffords lay about 160 kilometers away in an intensive care unit, gravely wounded after being shot through the head but able to give a thumbs-up sign that doctors found as a reason to hope.
Thirteen other people were wounded in the bursts of gunfire at the Democratic congresswoman's outdoor meeting with constituents Saturday outside a Tucson, Arizona, supermarket. Loughner was tackled to the ground minutes after the shooting began, authorities said. He has been silent ever since.
The shootings, which claimed the lives of six people, including a federal judge, a congressional aide and a nine-year-old girl, have prompted outrage throughout the U.S. and sparked a debate over gun control measures and whether toxic political rhetoric fueled the incident.
Jared Loughner, his head shaved, a cut on his right temple and in handcuffs, stared vacantly at the packed courtroom before sitting down to listen to whispered instructions from his newly appointed attorney, Judy Clarke. A veteran of death cases, the San Diego attorney succeeded in negotiating a guilty plea and a life sentence for the "Unabomber," Theodore Kaczynski.
Loughner seemed impassive and at one point stood at a lectern in his beige prison jumpsuit. A U.S. marshal stood guard nearby. The judge asked if he understood that he could get life in prison - or the death penalty - for killing federal Judge John Roll, in the shooting rampage. "Yes," he said. His lawyer stood beside him as the judge ordered Loughner held without bail.
President Barack Obama is expected to travel to Tucson on Wednesday to speak at a memorial service for the victims at the University of Arizona. Earlier in the day, the nation observed a moment of silence for the victims.
On a frigid morning outside the White House, Obama and first lady Michelle Obama stood side by side, each with their hands clasped, heads bowed and eyes closed. On the steps of the U.S. Capitol, congressional staff and other employees did the same.
The president called for the country to come together in prayer or reflection for those killed and those fighting to recover. "In the coming days, we're going to have a lot of time to reflect," he said. "Right now the main thing we're doing is to offer our thoughts and prayers to those who've been impacted, making sure we're joining together and pulling together as a country."
The shooting highlighted tensions that have been running high between conservatives and liberals in the United States, where activists and talk show radio hosts have been employing increasingly violent language in their criticisms of the Obama administration.
Rep. Gabrielle Giffords lay about 160 kilometers away in an intensive care unit, gravely wounded after being shot through the head but able to give a thumbs-up sign that doctors found as a reason to hope.
Thirteen other people were wounded in the bursts of gunfire at the Democratic congresswoman's outdoor meeting with constituents Saturday outside a Tucson, Arizona, supermarket. Loughner was tackled to the ground minutes after the shooting began, authorities said. He has been silent ever since.
The shootings, which claimed the lives of six people, including a federal judge, a congressional aide and a nine-year-old girl, have prompted outrage throughout the U.S. and sparked a debate over gun control measures and whether toxic political rhetoric fueled the incident.
Jared Loughner, his head shaved, a cut on his right temple and in handcuffs, stared vacantly at the packed courtroom before sitting down to listen to whispered instructions from his newly appointed attorney, Judy Clarke. A veteran of death cases, the San Diego attorney succeeded in negotiating a guilty plea and a life sentence for the "Unabomber," Theodore Kaczynski.
Loughner seemed impassive and at one point stood at a lectern in his beige prison jumpsuit. A U.S. marshal stood guard nearby. The judge asked if he understood that he could get life in prison - or the death penalty - for killing federal Judge John Roll, in the shooting rampage. "Yes," he said. His lawyer stood beside him as the judge ordered Loughner held without bail.
President Barack Obama is expected to travel to Tucson on Wednesday to speak at a memorial service for the victims at the University of Arizona. Earlier in the day, the nation observed a moment of silence for the victims.
On a frigid morning outside the White House, Obama and first lady Michelle Obama stood side by side, each with their hands clasped, heads bowed and eyes closed. On the steps of the U.S. Capitol, congressional staff and other employees did the same.
The president called for the country to come together in prayer or reflection for those killed and those fighting to recover. "In the coming days, we're going to have a lot of time to reflect," he said. "Right now the main thing we're doing is to offer our thoughts and prayers to those who've been impacted, making sure we're joining together and pulling together as a country."
The shooting highlighted tensions that have been running high between conservatives and liberals in the United States, where activists and talk show radio hosts have been employing increasingly violent language in their criticisms of the Obama administration.
No comments:
Post a Comment