This is the mentally ill guy who was allowed to purchase guns/ammo and who murdered a nine year old girl, a federal judge, and nearly murdered his intended victim-- the great congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords.
Jared Lee Loughner is set to plead guilty Tuesday in the shooting attack that severely wounded Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, according to knowledgeable sources, as mental health officials believe he is now competent to understand the charges against him in the assault, which killed six people and injured 13 at a gathering with the congresswoman’s constituents in Tucson.
At the hearing Tuesday morning in U.S. District Court in Tucson, psychiatric experts who have examined Loughner, 23, are scheduled to testify that they have concluded that despite wide swings in his mental capacity, at this time he comprehends what happened and acknowledges the gravity of the charges, according to two sources who spoke on condition of anonymity because the case was still unfolding.
The terms of the plea arrangement remained unclear Saturday on whether Loughner would admit guilt to all or some of the charges in return for a lengthy prison sentence rather than risk a potential death penalty verdict at trial.
In a way, I don't really care about Loughner-- other than using this obvious case of domestic terrorism to build a case regarding
RESOLUTION of the problem. the fact that Loughner
again slipped thru the cracks in a nation where we allegedly have laws to prevent the sales of guns/ammo to mentally ill persons-- indicates none of this is being taken seriously by the Dept. of Homeland Security, the congress, and state legislatures like Arizona's.
please read my recent diary:
FALSE Premise: We Cannot Preempt Rampage Killers in the U.S.
Here I look at four recent cases of rampage killings, the obvious commonalities with the killings and make suggestions for resolution.
the discussion regarding surveillance is on going w/ bobswern's excellent diary here:
http://www.dailykos.com/...
http://www.dailykos.com/...
http://www.latimes.com/...