Justice Moving Swiftly In Arizona Shooting
The state of Arizona is wasting no time in bringing alleged killer Jared Lee Loughlin to justice: after Saturday's shocking shooting of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords (who remains in critical condition but is able to communicate) and nine others, charges were quickly filed on Sunday afternoon and he'll appear in court on Monday. Says The New York Times' Caucus blog:
"The United States Attorney in Arizona has filed five charges against Jared Lee Loughner: three charges of attempted murder (of Ms. Giffords and two members of her staff) and two charges of murdering federal employees (Judge Roll and Gabriel Zimmerman, the other Giffords staff member).
"Mr. Loughner's first court appearance is scheduled for Monday at 2 p.m. in Phoenix."
Meanwhile, political pundits and the public have been abuzz with speculation (and denials) that Loughner was inspired to assassinate Congresswoman Giffords because of right-wing propaganda, namely a now-removed map on Sarah Palin's website that singled out Giffords and other House democrats that voted for the 2008 health care bill with crosshairs over the regions they represent. No evidence has yet been uncovered that supports any connection, though Loughner's much-circulated YouTube videos offer a peek inside the young man's mind: