Free Republic

A federal wiretapping trial involving private investigator Anthony Pellicano and five co-defendants was postponed to Feb. 27. U.S. District Judge Dale Fischer on Monday granted a defense motion seeking a delay. One of the defendants, Kevin Kachikian, hired a new attorney and asked for additional time to have the lawyer review the case. Trial was slated to begin in August. Prosecutors opposed the motion, arguing defense attorneys have had enough time to prepare for trial. "While this case is complex, it is not so complex as to require the delay that defendants now seek of a full two years between...

Judges postponed their verdict in Saddam Hussein's trial Tuesday, a long-awaited decision that once held out the hope of healing Iraq's wounds but now threatens to spark even more sectarian violence. The verdict had been expected on Oct. 16 but was delayed until at least the end of the month while judges take extra time to review the evidence and make sure their case is airtight. But no matter how well crafted, the verdict could worsen violence that is already claiming dozens of lives daily. A death sentence for the former leader could enrage his Sunni Muslim supporters, while anything...

WASHINGTON - A federal court jury in the first trial of the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal was sent home four hours after beginning deliberations Tuesday so the judge could consider whether to dismiss a juror for misconduct. Former Bush administration official David Safavian is charged with concealing from ethics officials and investigators that he assisted Republican influence-peddler Abramoff's efforts to obtain two government properties. The jury of 10 women and two men had selected a foreperson but had not even received their written copies of jury instructions nor begun any substantive deliberations when the problem arose. Prosecutors argued that a...

<p>SAN FRANCISCO - The state on Tuesday postponed indefinitely the execution of a condemned killer amid a court battle over the state's method of lethal injection and the role doctors may play in the death chamber.</p> <p>State officials notified the federal courts they would be unable to comply with a judge's order to have a lethal dose of barbiturate administered to Michael Morales by a medical professional in the execution chamber, a spokeswoman for the federal courts told The Associated Press.</p>

This close to voting Friday, December 30, 2005 One of the hallmarks of a working democracy is that elections happen when they're scheduled to happen. But while special elections are now set in three parishes damaged by recent hurricanes -- Jefferson, St. Bernard and Acadia -- Gov. Kathleen Blanco has ordered an indefinite delay in New Orleans' regular citywide elections, which had been scheduled for Feb. 4 and March 4. Not surprisingly, the matter ended up in federal court. And while U.S. District Judge Ivan Lemelle declined to set an election date, he did say he was "this close" to...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (Reuters) - NASA said on Friday it would be at least late next week before the first shuttle mission since the 2003 Columbia accident can be launched, after Discovery's liftoff was postponed two days ago because of a fuel sensor problem. "The simple things did not provide us any resolution to the problem," said deputy shuttle program manager Wayne Hale. The sensors are designed to shut off the shuttle's three main engines before fuel runs out to avoid damaging them. A premature shutdown could force a shuttle to make an emergency landing or prevent it from reaching...

ASTRONOMY/SPACE ALERT FOR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA Brian Webb, KD6NRP Ventura County, California E-mail: kd6nrp@earthlink.net Web Site: http://home.earthlink.net/~kd6nrp 2002 December 18 (Wednesday) 05:45 PST ---------------------------------------------------------------------- LAUNCH POSTPONED This morning's Titan II launch from Vandenberg AFB has been cancelled because of a problem with the spacecraft. Launch is now set for January 7th. _______________________________________________ To subscribe or unsubscribe from this newsletter, go to: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/launch-alert Questions and comments regarding this newsletter and editorial contributions should be directed to kd6nrp@earthlink.net