(D-Ariz.) Gabrielle Giffords shot

[Exotix]

Originally Posted by ChasC5

And it’s defiantly not a Liberal Democrat

I can't remember when a skinhead was ever accussed of being a Lib ... that's more of a right-wing neo-nazi moniker ... no wonder we haven't heard from the lunatic-fringists and there call for *racial profiling* ...

[mrvette]

Originally Posted by Exotix

I can't remember when a skinhead was ever accussed of being a Lib ... that's more of a right-wing neo-nazi moniker ... no wonder we haven't heard from the lunatic-fringists and there call for *racial profiling* ...

You know NOTHING of political theory, ....NOTHING, in fact you are a danger to yourself and society...to be SO ignorant....

who taught that crap??? one of your commie profs?? I completely destroyed some profs that tried that crap 50 years ago, with me in class.....

[Exotix]

Originally Posted by mrvette

You know NOTHING of political theory, ....NOTHING, in fact you are a danger to yourself and society...to be SO ignorant....

who taught that crap??? one of your commie profs?? I completely destroyed some profs that tried that crap 50 years ago, with me in class.....

As soon as you interview Tuscon killer Jared Loughner about his motivations be sure to ask him wether or not his skinhead look had anything to with his rampage ... goes to the *blood libel* Palin is talking about ...

[ChasC5]

Originally Posted by Exotix

As soon as you interview Tuscon killer Jared Loughner about his motivations be sure to ask him wether or not his skinhead look had anything to with his rampage ... goes to the *blood libel* Palin is talking about ...

I’m he had Liberal thoughts when shaved his head … happens all the time.

[Exotix]

Originally Posted by ChasC5

I’m sure he had Liberal thoughts when shaved his head … happens all the time.

I don't know how Palin and the lunatic fringe are gonna make that connection other than *reverse blood libel* ...

[Exotix]

Obama: Giffords opens eyes for first time.

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi in the hospital room at time of congresswoman's latest improvement.

Just In


Obama: Giffords opens eyes for first time - Health - Health care - More health news - msnbc.com


TUCSON, Ariz. — U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords opened her eyes for the first time since being shot in the head Saturday, President Barack Obama said at the memorial service for victims of the Tucson, Ariz., shootings.

"Gabby opened her eyes," Obama said as the crowd cheered, adding that the congresswoman "knows we are here."

Although the president wasn't in the room at the moment Giffords' eyes opened, he said her husband, astronaut Mark Kelly, gave him permission to break the happy news, Politico reported.
But House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand were all in the hospital room at that time, NBC News has confirmed.

"We had been telling her that she was inspiring the country with her courage and that we couldn't wait to take her out to pizza and a weekend away,” Gillibrand said in a statement.
“Then after she heard our voices and the encouragement of Mark and her parents, she struggled briefly and opened her eyes for the very first time.
It was a miracle to witness."



Earlier Wednesday, Giffords' doctors said she continues to improve and is becoming more responsive.

Her recovery after being shot in the head is "going as anticipated," Dr. Peter Rhee, trauma chief of the University Medical Center in Tucson, Ariz., said at a news conference.
"Progress can occur rapidly or can go in a negative fashion, as well.
None of the downward progress has occurred at this time."

The amount of sedation she's under has been decreased and she's able to breathe on her own, although the congresswoman still has a breathing tube to prevent infections such as pneumonia.
She's also moving both arms and has been able to feel with her hands the area where she was wounded, Rhee said.
And she held up two fingers to form a "v," Pia Carusone, Giffords' chief of staff, told NBC News.
"We'll have to ask her one day what that was — peace or victory," said Carusone, who has been at the congresswoman's bedside.

Giffords, a three-time Democrat, remains in critical condition at UMC since Saturday when she was shot during a meeting with constituents outside a grocery store.
The attack killed six, including a congressional aide and a 9-year-old girl. Fourteen people were wounded or injured.
Two were discharged Sunday night. Six remain hospitalized.
Two remain in serious condition; three are in fair condition.
Only Giffords remains critical.




Although her condition has remained virtually unchanged the past few days, doctors are hopeful. Rhee said she is at "the edge of the woods."

"Every day from now and until the weekend is the time that if something was going to go bad, it would happen around this time period.
Nothing has happened," he said.



Giffords' husband has remained by her bedside.

Kelly is supposed to command shuttle Endeavour's final mission in April, but NASA has refused to discuss his flight status.
"He's a navy guy, an astronaut commander of a shuttle," Carusone said.

"He's developed a plan here, and the plan is to stay positive and get all the resources we can lined up, do everything possible and after that, just positive energy and prayer and the strong will that this will happen."

Giffords would sustain some permanent brain damage from her bullet injury, Rhee said, although he remained hopeful she would recover to a "functional, viable, normal" state.

"I think ... without doubt ... there's going to be some permanent damage that's going to occur from the bullet .... But will she be functional, viable, normal ?
I can't say for sure, but I'm very hopeful that she will be," he said.

Doctors initially thought the bullet entered the back of the skull and exited the front, but after reviewing X-rays and brain scans, two outside physicians brought in by Giffords' medical team now believe that she was likely shot in the front of her head.



Giffords was lucky the bullet did not cross into both sides, or hemispheres, of the brain, which can leave lasting damage, her doctors have said.
Nearly half of her skull was removed to alleviate any swelling.



She has given a thumbs-up sign and tried to grab at the breathing tube, an encouraging sign of her level of consciousness and reaction to pain.



"The fact that she's able to register that discomfort and then react to it, again, it means the brain is working on a higher level," said Dr. Michael Lemole, the chief of neurosurgery at UMC in Tucson on Tuesday.

Without speculating on the congresswoman's long-term prognosis, Lemole said she has the "full range" of recovery ahead of her.

"I've seen people in this scenario make very little improvement and require constant care, and I've seen other people ... who have made remarkable recoveries — functional recoveries — and gone back to work," Lemole said.
People who suffer penetrating traumatic brain injuries often develop paralysis and cognitive problems.

Usually with a penetrating injury through the skull, survival and recovery is "abysmal," said Lemole at the news conference.
"She has no right to look this good."

Giffords is expected to remain in the ICU for at least another week.


About 1.7 million people in the United States suffer traumatic brain injuries every year, with about 20 percent of them caused by violence, including gunshots.
About 52,000 people die as a result of their injuries and about 275,000 are hospitalized, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Of the deaths caused by traumatic brain injury, perhaps 35 percent to 40 percent are attributed to gunshots.









Mark Kelly, the husband of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, is seen holding his wife's hand in the congresswoman's hospital room at University Medical Center on Sunday.
The photo was made available by Giffords' office on Tuesday.

[73sbVert]

Awesome! Here's to hoping for a full recovery!




ETA: Funny aside: Local news hottie can't read a teleprompter either I guess "Thanks for being with us tonight as we cover this angle from every story"!!

[6spdC6]

Originally Posted by Exotix

[B] Giffords opens eyes for first time.



TUCSON, Ariz. — U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords opened her eyes for the first time since being shot in the head Saturday,
"Gabby opened her eyes,"






]

Great news I hope for a speedy 100% recovery!

[Exotix]

9-year-old shooting victim's organs help save child.

Father of slain child confirms report, tells media he would like to meet recipient


Today

Young shooting victim's organs help save child - U.S. news - Crime & courts - msnbc.com


An organ donation from the 9-year-old Tucson shooting victim has saved the life of a child in Boston, according to media reports.

Christina Taylor Green was one of six people killed in the shooting rampage that targeted U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords outside a Safeway store outside of Tucson. Giffords, 40, remained in critical condition on Saturday.

A friend of Green's family said they learned of the news through a donors' network that her donation had saved the life of a young girl on the East Coast, the Arizona Republic reported.

There were no details on which Boston hospital or organs were involved, according to WCVB TV in Boston. Officials would not release the identity of the child saved or the nature of the illness that required the transplant, the Republic reported.

In earlier developments, Christina's father, John Green, confirmed the donation, adding "some of Christina's organs went to a little girl in Boston.
It was very poignant to find out.
That's what Christina was all about," CNN reported on Friday.

Green said he looked forward to meeting the recipient one day, WCVB reported.

"I'd give her a big hug," he said. "It's a blessing."




(Read continues in Link)



Video: Tucson mourns as 9-year-old victim buried

[VITE1]

Originally Posted by Exotix

9-year-old shooting victim's organs help save child.

Father of slain child confirms report, tells media he would like to meet recipient


Today

Young shooting victim's organs help save child - U.S. news - Crime & courts - msnbc.com


An organ donation from the 9-year-old Tucson shooting victim has saved the life of a child in Boston, according to media reports.

Christina Taylor Green was one of six people killed in the shooting rampage that targeted U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords outside a Safeway store outside of Tucson. Giffords, 40, remained in critical condition on Saturday.

A friend of Green's family said they learned of the news through a donors' network that her donation had saved the life of a young girl on the East Coast, the Arizona Republic reported.

There were no details on which Boston hospital or organs were involved, according to WCVB TV in Boston. Officials would not release the identity of the child saved or the nature of the illness that required the transplant, the Republic reported.

In earlier developments, Christina's father, John Green, confirmed the donation, adding "some of Christina's organs went to a little girl in Boston.
It was very poignant to find out.
That's what Christina was all about," CNN reported on Friday.

Green said he looked forward to meeting the recipient one day, WCVB reported.

"I'd give her a big hug," he said. "It's a blessing."




(Read continues in Link)



Video: Tucson mourns as 9-year-old victim buried

[Exotix]

*Breaking*

[bill_daniels]

Gee, I wonder how all the other folks who got shot that day are doing?

[mrvette]

Originally Posted by bill_daniels

Gee, I wonder how all the other folks who got shot that day are doing?

Hopefully well, at least decent, but you gotta know the med care for all of CONNgress and the upper exec level is FAR more capable and well paid than anything WE mere mortals can afford......unless of course you are a Rockefeller, Mellon, Ford, Rothschild, and on and on and on.....Gates,

[Exotix]

Originally Posted by mrvette

Hopefully well, at least decent, but you gotta know the med care for all of CONNgress and the upper exec level is FAR more capable and well paid than anything WE mere mortals can afford......unless of course you are a Rockefeller, Mellon, Ford, Rothschild, and on and on and on.....Gates,

... this one isn't gonna make you feel any better ...

[Exotix]

Today

Case in Giffords shooting likely to take years - U.S. news - Crime & courts - msnbc.com


TUCSON — Investigators have been poring over surveillance video, interviewing witnesses and analyzing items seized from Jared Loughner's home as they build a case in the assassination attempt against Rep. Gabrielle Giffords.



It's a case that likely will take years to play out as it goes through the many phases of the criminal justice system: prosecutions by both federal and state authorities, proceedings over whether to move the case to a different venue, a possible insanity defense by Loughner and prosecutors' likely push for the death penalty.



Investigators have said Loughner was mentally disturbed and acting increasingly erratic in the weeks leading up to the shooting.

If he pleads not guilty by reason of insanity and is successful, he could avoid the death penalty and be sent to a mental health facility instead of prison.

Paul Charlton, who worked as Arizona's U.S. attorney from 2001 to 2007 and isn't involved in the Loughner case, believes Loughner will likely mount an insanity defense.

"Given what we know, that's going to be a defense," Charlton said.

"I don't see a lot of other viable defenses," said Michael Piccarreta, a Tucson lawyer who has practiced criminal defense in federal court for 30 years.

"It appears the actual guilt or innocent of the shooting will not be difficult to prove, and his pre-shooting behavior seems to be a history of erratic behavior — issues of pre-existing mental illness."



Before the case even gets to trial, the court would have to decide whether Loughner is mentally competent to stand trial.

If he isn't, he would be sent to a federal facility for a minimum of four months to see if they can restore his competency.
It could be up to a two-month wait just to get him into one of those facilities.

It could take a year, it could take a year and a half.
It could take longer," Heather Williams, the first assistant federal public defender in Arizona, said of the time it will take to bring the case to trial.
Her office didn't take the Loughner case because it had conflicts of interest.



One area that will help the pace of the case is the fact that it's a relatively simple investigation.

While other high-profile cases have required a lengthy investigation to chase down leads and co-conspirators, authorities have said Loughner acted alone.
Dozens of people witnessed the shooting and surveillance cameras captured it on tape.

Investigators say they have also seized writings from Loughner in which he used words like "I planned ahead," "My assassination" and "Giffords."



Loughner will face two cases — federal and state.

The federal charges will cover the killing and attempted killings of U.S. government employees such as the judge and Giffords, while the state case will deal with the other victims, including the 9-year-old girl.

Federal prosecutors are going first, as charges have yet to be filed in the state case.

Pima County Attorney Barbara LaWall has the discretion to decide whether to seek the death penalty against Loughner in the state case, while the federal decision on whether to seek the death penalty rests with Arizona U.S. Attorney Dennis Burke and Attorney General Eric Holder, Charlton said.



Prosecutors haven't signaled whether they would pursue the death penalty, but experts say all signs point toward that.

Federal law gives prosecutors a reasonable amount of time before trial to inform a defendant that they are seeking the death penalty, but there is no hard deadline for doing so.



Whether the case plays out in Arizona is up in the air.

First, the case was moved to Phoenix from Tucson after all federal judges there recused themselves because their colleague was slain.

Next, defense lawyers could ask that the case be moved out of Arizona by arguing that extensive negative publicity would make it impossible for Loughner to get a fair trial.

There was so much speculation that San Diego would ultimately be the home for the trial that federal authorities were prompted to issue a statement last week denying the reports and saying it's way too early in the case to discuss.
The judge presiding over the case works out of San Diego, and Loughner's court-appointed lawyer, Judy Clarke, is based there as well.



Clarke has not responded to requests seeking comment.

She is one of the top lawyers in the country for defendants facing prominent death penalty cases, having represented clients such as "Unabomber" Ted Kaczynski and Olympic bomber Eric Rudolph.

She has a reputation for working out plea deals that spare defendants the death penalty, as was the case for Rudolph and Kaczynski.

Piccarreta expects the trial to eventually be moved out of Arizona, because of people's connections to U.S. District Judge John Roll and Giffords.

"My personal view is that Arizona is still too close.
Why risk a potentially unfair trial when you can move the matter outside of the state," Piccarreta said.

He later said, "They have moved cases out of the state with far less (media) exposure than this," noting that a 1981 trial into the killing of Arizona Republic reporter Don Bolles was moved from Phoenix to San Diego.




Another dramatic scenario that could arise in a criminal case: Giffords testifying against Loughner.

It's too early to know if that will happen, and Charlton said prosecutors have many other options for witnesses given that so many people were there when the shooting occurred.

"I suspect that there is sufficient evidence relating to who did what here. Not every witness would have to be called," Charlton said.


(Read continues in Link)




University High School portrait of Gabrielle Giffords, class of 1988. Dr. John Hosmer, taught history to the future lawmaker.
He tells msnbc.com, "Gabrielle sat in the front row.
She was inquisitive ... She was a very mature person from the moment she walked in the door." (University High School)

[Exotix]

Giffords speaks, asking for toast with breakfast.
Arizona congresswoman is making progress at 'lightning speed' after bullet to brain.

Today

Giffords speaks, asking for toast with breakfast - U.S. news - msnbc.com


Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords has recovered enough from a bullet to the brain to ask for toast with breakfast.

Few details are available, but Pia Carusone, Giffords' chief of staff, confirmed that the congresswoman made the verbal request on Monday when hospital workers at TIRR Memorial Hermann brought her a meal.

"Yes, that's accurate," Carusone said in an e-mail.

Though small, the request first reported by Politico marks a milestone for the congresswoman, who was shot in the head in a Jan. 8 shooting spree in Tucson that killed 6 and injured 13.

In a Facebook update on Tuesday, her husband, astronaut Mark Kelly, said that Giffords is eating three meals a day and enjoying it, "even though it's hospital food."


Doctors at Giffords' Houston rehabilitation center, one of the top five sites in the country, on Tuesday said that she's recovering well and that they hope she can make enough progress to attend her husband's space shuttle launch in April.


Kelly is scheduled to command the space shuttle Endeavor on April 19, when it leaves for a two-week mission to the International Space Station. It remains unclear whether Giffords will be well enough to travel to the launch site in Cape Canaveral, Fla.

"The doctors say she is recovering at lightning speed considering her injury but they aren't kidding when they say this is a marathon process," Kelly wrote on Facebook.

"There are encouraging signs every day, though."

[ChasC5]

Originally Posted by bill_daniels

Gee, I wonder how all the other folks who got shot that day are doing?

When the family approves release of their personal medical condition, I’m you’ll find out.

This is how it legally works in the real world for private citizens.

For public officials, it’s different.

[mrvette]

BUT the important thing is that cute chick is on the road back,......

anyone with 1/2 a brain wish her the very best, and to FRY that SOB....

and you know, something about her hubby going to fly the shuttle come April....

THAT is just showing what git up and GO is all about....gotta know that HE knows she is cool with it....

that chick got it together....a VERY lucky and good critter....

[ChasC5]

Cute Chick?

Your class is overwhelming.

[mrvette]

Originally Posted by ChasC5

Cute Chick?

Your class is overwhelming.

U don't think she's a decent looking woman?? I assume she is 40- 50 ish, anyway, mainly from the age of her husband....