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As Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan lay under heavy guard at Fort Sam Houston on Sunday, military prosecutors and the accused Fort Hood gunman's family were preparing for what could be a long and complicated legal proceeding. Military justice experts told the Houston Chronicle that Hasan, if he recovers, could face the death penalty in a military court-martial — unless civilian prosecutors conclude that he was part of a terrorist plot that would justify moving his case into federal criminal courts under U.S. anti-terrorism laws. But veterans of the military justice system say that any case against Hasan could take many...

HACKENSACK, N.J. – A jury convicted a Florida man Friday of murdering his former son-in-law, rejecting the man's defense that he was too fat to have run up and down a flight of stairs to commit the crime and make a quick getaway. Edward Ates looked down and shook his head in court as he was found guilty of murder and weapons counts for killing Paul Duncsak, who was shot six times at his home in Ramsey, about 25 miles northwest of New York. Ates' "too fat to kill" defense provided an angle to the trial that attracted attention from...

Man charged in soldier's death seeks trial delayPosted: October 27, 2009 - 12:40pm LITTLE ROCK (AP) — Attorneys for the man charged with capital murder of an Army soldier at a Little Rock recruiting station are asking for a delay in the start of his trial. Lawyers for 24-year-old Abdulhakim Muhammad say in a motion filed last week that they need more time to go through evidence in the case. The current trial date is Feb. 15. Muhammad was born Carlos Bledsoe. He's charged in the June shooting death of 23-year-old Pvt. William Long of Conway and in the wounding...

Since I have lived in Tuscaloosa my whole life, I figured I'd keep my fellow FReeper friends up to date with the Larry Langford bribery trial. Begin Article: TUSCALOOSA | Testimony in the corruption trial of Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford portrayed his personal finances as a disaster area Monday, with scant assets and liabilities of about $650,000, including nearly $240,000 in credit card debt. The testimony came as federal prosecutors neared the end of their case and tried to show Langford had a financial incentive to accept bribes while he was on the Jefferson County Commission, a charge that Langford...

TUSCALOOSA -- Larry Langford was por trayed last week as a serious clotheshorse whose love of shopping was like a heroin addiction, a man who couldn't pay his tai lors, was behind on his taxes and past due on a fat bank loan. If that wasn't enough, federal prosecutors in Langford's cor ruption trial charged he used his power and influence as then-president of the Jefferson County Commission to trade millions of dollars in county business for cash and gifts. Langford's own lawyers portrayed him as a victim of slick Wall Street bankers and as a man too trusting of...

Junior Gotti Freaks Out In Court Against WitnessBy Jen Chung October 9, 2009 9:15 AM Well, it had to happen sometime: John Gotti Jr., currently on trial for the fourth time for racketeering, had a meltdown in court yesterday, yelling at a star prosecution witness and former mobster. The Post reports the Teflon Don's son shouted to John Alite during a break, "You’re a dog! You’re a dog! Did I kill little girls, you fag? You’re a punk. You’re a dog all your life — you always were. Do I strangle little girls in motels?" Apparently Alite was being led...

"Words mean things," Rush Limbaugh likes to say. Well, if the word manslaughter means anything at all, why would a court in the state of New York – where English presumably is still spoken and understood – accept a plea of manslaughter from Muzzammil "Mo" Hassan? Hassan, if you remember, is the Bridges TV founder charged with the decapitation death of his wife, Aasiya Zabair Hassan, in his upscale suburban Buffalo office last February, where she was found with three dozen stab wounds to her body and her head sawed off with a steak knife.

WASHINGTON – A federal judge has denied the request for a new trial by a former Louisiana congressman convicted on corruption charges. U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III ruled against a motion by former Rep. William Jefferson on Friday in Alexandria, Va. Jefferson was convicted Aug. 5 on 11 of 16 federal counts for using his influence to broker business deals in Africa after federal agents found cash in his freezer. A jury ruled Jefferson must forfeit roughly $470,000. He later filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation.

In what has been dubbed the trial of the decade, former Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin of France will face charges of allegedly plotting to tarnish the name of his former rival and now the president of France, Nicolas Sarkozy. France's state prosecutors ordered Villepin, a protégé of former President Jacques Chirac and longstanding political rival of the incumbent French president, to stand trial in a four-year-old scandal known as the Clearstream affair. The scandal dating back to 2004, started when a list containing the name of businessmen, celebrities and politicians among them Sarkozy, leaked to the media. The document...

BORN IN THE USA? Shocker! Judge orders trial on eligibility issue Arguments planned Jan. 11 for challenge to Obama Posted: September 08, 2009 4:42 pm Eastern By Jerome R. Corsi © 2009 WorldNetDaily Is this the footprint of baby Barack Obama? A California judge today tentatively scheduled a trial for Jan. 26, 2010, for a case that challenges Barack Obama's eligibility to be president based on questions over his qualifications under the requirements of the U.S. Constitution. If the case actually goes to arguments before U.S. District Judge David Carter, it will be the first time the merits of the...

Torture-slayings trial, Day 9: Victim's families: Jury 'let us down' with Letalvis Cobbins verdict KNOXVILLE - The families of a young Knox County couple tortured and killed in January 2007 tonight sharply criticized a jury's decision to spare defendant Letalvis Cobbins the death penalty. "I think the jury has let us down," said Mary Newsom, mother of murder victim Chris Newsom. "I think they've let Channon and Chris down. We were hoping for the death penalty." After deliberating a little more than two hours, the jury delivered its verdict about 6:50 p.m. in Judge Richard Baumgartner's courtroom. The judge polled...

An unusually large crowd of fans had come to support the Helsinki councillor Jussi Halla-aho (True Finns/Independent) in court proceedings that began on the fourth floor of the Helsinki District courthouse yesterday - Tuesday. Most of the supporters were youngish adult men. Halla-aho is being charged at the Helsinki District Court with violation of the freedom of worship and incitement to racial hatred. The charges were sparked by Halla-aho’s Internet blog writings more than a year ago. In his blog entry, Halla-aho made two statements that violated the law, the prosecutor said. In one of the entries Halla-aho linked Islam...

Rochester, N.Y.) - Prosecutors say 44 tapes, secretly recorded by a government informant, prove three Rochester convenience store owners were willing to support terrorists. On April 7, 2005 a man entered the Durnan Mini Mart on Hudson Avenue looking to send $10,000 to $12,000 to Lebanon without creating any record of the transaction.

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran's Supreme Leader appointed Ayatollah Sadeq Larijani as the new head of the country's judiciary on Saturday, state television reported. Some reformist websites had recently reported that Larijani was hesitant to accept the position because of the mass arrests of moderate detainees over unrest that erupted after the country's disputed June 12 presidential election. He will face controversy straight away -- the semi-official ISNA news agency said a new trial would start on Sunday of 25 opposition supporters detained after the election. Larijani, a brother of parliament speaker Ali Larijani and a member of Iran's hardline constitutional...

UPDATE: William Jefferson jury completes fourth day without verdictby Bruce Alpert, The Times-Picayune Tuesday August 04, 2009, 3:15 PM ALEXANDRIA, VA. -- The jury in former Democratic Congressman William Jefferson's bribery and corruption trial has completed a fourth day of deliberations without reaching a verdict. Jurors concluded the day about 90 minutes early to accommodate the schedule of one of their members. They will return Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. There was some courtroom action today as Judge T.S. Ellis and lawyers in the case held two brief bench conferences in the morning to deal with a question from the jury...

About 100 Iranian activists and political moderates went on trial Saturday to face charges related to massive protests following the controversial presidential election. The semi-official Fars news agency published images of defendants sitting in a packed Tehran courtroom, some handcuffed in pairs. The IRNA news agency says the detainees are accused of conspiring against the ruling system, among other charges. Reports say some leading political figures on trial have retracted their claims that the June vote was rigged - the main rallying point of opposition demonstrators.

Jurors in William Jefferson's case go home for weekendby The Times-Picayune Friday July 31, 2009, 3:00 PM ALEXANDRIA, VA. -- Jurors in the trial of former Democratic Congressman William Jefferson have gone home for the weekend and will resume deliberations Monday at 9:30 a.m. The jury met for about six hours today after deliberating for about four hours Thursday . Closing arguments were delivered Wednesday with jury instructions Thursday morning. Given the complexity of the 16-count indictment that includes charge of bribery, fraud, money laundering and racketeering, legal experts have said they expect the deliberations to take several days. The...

William Jefferson jury begins its deliberations in federal corruption caseby Jonathan Tilove and Bruce Alpert, The Times-Picayune Thursday July 30, 2009, 8:15 PM ALEXANDRIA, VA -- The jury in the 16-count federal corruption case of William Jefferson heard more than 2 1/2 hours of jury instructions from Judge T.S. Ellis III on Thursday and then began their deliberations. The jurors broke for the day after about four hours of deliberations and will return Friday morning. "You're the sole judge of the evidence received in this case, " Ellis told the jury before launching into a long and detailed explication of...

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A jury is scheduled to hear closing arguments Wednesday in the bribery trial of a former Louisiana congressman .. William Jefferson, a Democrat .. is accused of receiving more than $400,000 in bribes .. Jefferson's attorneys argue that their client was essentially acting as a private business consultant and never violated bribery laws.

Jefferson's Wife Paid State Salary While Attending TrialAndrea Jefferson Gets $72,000 Per Year From SUNO **SNIP** "It is unfortunate that in these tough times for higher education that the Southern University system continues to pay $72,100 and Mrs. Jefferson continues to accept her salary. This is the type of waste that is plaguing our higher education systems," Republican State Rep. Cameron Henry said. State Sen. Julie Quinn, also a Republican, said, "Mrs. Jefferson's 'paid leave of absence' ... doesn't pass the 'smell test,' particularly when higher education has been forced to increase tuition and fees due to budget cuts." Jefferson...

William Jefferson defense rests after tapes playedby Jonathan Tilove and Bruce Alpert, The Times-Picayune Thursday July 23, 2009, 10:15 PM ALEXANDRIA, VA. -- In a moment of courtroom drama Thursday, the prosecutors in the corruption trial of William Jefferson withdrew their objections and let the former New Orleans congressman's attorneys play nearly 90 minutes of secretly taped recordings that the defense team said was crucial to his case. **SNIP** "If I'm wrong and it has to be retried, so be it, " he declared, then adding to the urgency of the moment by saying his 93-year-old mother was expecting him...

Florida businesswoman says she sought to bribe former Rep. William Jeffersonby Jonathan Tilove and Bruce Alpert, The Times-Picayune Tuesday July 21, 2009, 2:24 PM ALEXANDRIA, VA. -- A Florida businesswoman who had lined up a deal to exploit untapped oil reserves off the coast of the African island nation of Sao Tome and Principe testified today in the corruption trial of former Rep. William Jefferson that she had agreed to give his brother Mose an oil lot potentially worth hundreds of millions of dollars in exchange for the congressman's help in untangling the knots that had tied up the deal....

William Jefferson faces decision on whether to testifyby Jonathan Tilove, The Times-Picayune Monday July 20, 2009, 9:21 PM WASHINGTON -- William Jefferson and his legal team now face the most difficult and fateful decision of his trial: whether the former nine-term Democratic congressman from New Orleans should take the stand in his own defense. "It's the last decision you make, " said James Neal, a prominent Nashville, Tenn., defense attorney. "It's just a terrible decision to make because the case then turns on it. You can forget about everything else that came before in the case. The case now depends...

William Jefferson defense to take stage soonby Bruce Alpert, The Times-Picayune Saturday July 18, 2009, 8:20 PM ALEXANDRIA, VA. -- Now, it's the defense team's turn. **SNUP** On Tuesday, jurors heard satellite radio executive Noah Samara say he was a longtime friend of the congressman's and happy to hire Jefferson's daughter to draw up the papers for an oil deal the two were pursuing. But he said he drew the line when the congressman suggested he also give her equity ownership in the venture. A day later, it was Folsom oil executive John Melton who said he drew up an...

William Jefferson trial about to enter final lapby Jonathan Tilove and Bruce Alpert, The Times-Picayune Friday July 17, 2009, 9:17 PM ALEXANDRIA, VA. -- The end is in sight for the corruption trial of former Democratic Congressman William Jefferson. **SNIP** After polling the jury, Ellis said that if testimony ends Wednesday, they would break until the following Tuesday, July 28. The break would enable the attorneys to prepare and for the court to resolve any remaining legal issues before the case goes to the jury. 'Explicit conflict of interest' Friday's session began with testimony from Thomas Hardy, an official of...

William Jefferson corruption trial shifts to other 'schemes'by Bruce Alpert, The Times-Picayune Friday July 10, 2009, 7:12 AM ALEXANDRIA, VA. -- After more than three weeks of testimony about William Jefferson's efforts to bring telecommunications projects to western Africa in return for what prosecutors labeled bribes, the jury Thursday heard about several of the other 11 alleged schemes in the corruption indictment against the nine-term former congressman. The trial, which began on June 9 with jury selection, finally appears to be moving closer to completion. Lead prosecutor Mark Lytle said he hopes to finish the government's case on July 17...

Prosecutors: Jefferson's wife hid bribesPublished: June 30, 2009 at 3:59 PM ALEXANDRIA, Va., June 30 (UPI) -- A firm owned by the wife of former U.S. Rep. William Jefferson, D-La., earned thousands of dollars but incurred no business expenses, an accountant said. Jack Swetland, a New Orleans accountant who had worked with the Jeffersons since 1982, testified Monday at William Jefferson's bribery and fraud trial in Alexandria, Va., The (New Orleans) Times-Picayune reported Tuesday. Prosecutors allege Andrea Jefferson's ANJ consulting firm was a shell company that accepted payments from companies who had sought William Jefferson's help in brokering deals in...

William Jefferson's activities cast as "official acts" by witnesses in corruption trialby Bruce Alpert, The Times-Picayune Friday June 26, 2009, 9:20 PM ALEXANDRIA, VA. -- Prosecutors called five witnesses Friday they hope convinced jurors that former Rep. William Jefferson engaged in "official acts" to promote a telecommunications project in return for payments and promised payments they describe as bribes. The issue is critical to the government's corruption case against the New Orleans Democrat. Prosecutors contend Jefferson solicited payments and stock from iGate Inc., a telecommunications company, to the ANJ Group, a firm controlled by his wife, Andrea Jefferson, in return...

First broken a few hours ago by WaPo, now confirmed by the AP, a little Friday evening care package from The One while the media’s busy obsessing over Jacko and cap ‘n trade. Do bear in mind that, contrary to leftist talking points, it’s not just the fact that some of the evidence against these turds was obtained through “torture” that makes them untriable in regular courts. Other evidence is either classified or was obtained from foreign intel — points that WaPo, to its credit, acknowledges but which our nutroots superiors tend to gloss over. "Such an order would embrace...

iGate exec says he feared retribution during William Jefferson corruption trial testimonyby Bruce Alpert and Jonathan Tilove, The Times-Picayune Tuesday June 23, 2009, 9:51 PM ALEXANDRIA, VA. -- Ending his five days of testimony Tuesday, a Kentucky telecommunications executive said he feared ending an arrangement in which he provided payments and stock to a company controlled by former Rep. William Jefferson's wife because he had read what happened to a college administrator who tried to fire Andrea Jefferson from an academic post. **SNIP** Jefferson's lawyer Robert Trout, who said he hopes he doesn't have to take the time to disprove...

Judge impatient with pace in trial of former Rep. William Jeffersonby Bruce Alpert, The Times-Picayune Monday June 22, 2009, 12:13 PM ALEXANDRIA, VA. -- The judge expressed some impatience this morning with the pace of the public corruption trial of former Rep. William Jefferson. **SNIP** Trout said the personal service agreement would show why Mody was unhappy with Jackson and Pfeffer, who also has pleaded guilty to paying bribes to Jefferson. He said it was significant that Mody initially made no allegations about Jefferson. Ellis appeared to disagree. "So what?" the judge said after the jury had been dismissed for...

Jurors hear tapes in Jefferson trialBy GERARD SHIELDS Advocate Washington bureau Published: Jun 19, 2009 WASHINGTON – Jurors in the bribery trial of former U.S. Rep. William Jefferson got their first chance Thursday to listen to secretly recorded government tapes that include Jefferson expressing worry about landing in the “pokey.” The 18-year congressman was upset when a Kentucky telecommunications business owner suggested that they get a new investor for a project the two were promoting in Africa. In one obscenity-laced statement, Jefferson was heard to say that the activities in which they were engaged could land them all in the...

Jefferson trial enters third day of testimonyBy GERARD SHIELDS Advocate Washington bureau Published: Jun 18, 2009 - UPDATED: 9:30 p.m. WASHINGTON – Jurors in the bribery trial of former U.S. Rep. William Jefferson got their first chance Thursday to listen to secretly recorded government tapes that include Jefferson expressing worry about landing in the “pokey.” The 18-year congressman was upset when a Kentucky telecommunications business owner suggested that they get a new investor for a project the two were promoting in Africa. In one obscenity-laced statement, Jefferson was heard to say that the activities in which they were engaged could...

Lord chief justice says there would be a 'very significant' danger of jury tampering in Heathrow robbery case The court of appeal today ruled that a criminal trial can be heard without a jury for the first time. Three judges in London, headed by the lord chief justice, Lord Judge, gave the go-ahead because of a "very significant" danger of jury tampering. Lord Judge said the case concerned "very serious criminal activity" arising from a robbery at a warehouse at Heathrow airport in 2004. Reporting restrictions ban the identification of four defendants. Their trial will take place "in due course"....

<p>ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Kentucky businessman testified Wednesday he paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in "consulting fees" to the wife of a former Louisiana congressman that were nothing but thinly veiled bribes.</p> <p>Testifying in a green prison jumpsuit, Jackson told jurors that his relationship with Jefferson began legitimately. Jackson felt he needed some public officials on his side as he sought Army contracts for a technology he invented that purported to move data over copper transmission lines at speeds that rival more advanced fiber optic lines.</p>

Clarence Darrow Meets Clarence BirdseyeBy Dana Milbank Wednesday, June 17, 2009 "I almost think I should begin with a joke about cold cash or frozen assets," defense lawyer Robert Trout told the jury at the start of his opening statement yesterday. Probably a good instinct: Trout has little to lose. **SNIP** This left Trout little to work with. Could he say the pie crusts made his client flaky? Or might the Boca Burgers justify a health-food version of the Twinkie Defense? It nearly came to that. The money in the freezer? "He was leaving town for the month of August....

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Opening statements are scheduled in the trial of a former Louisiana congressman charged with bribery after federal agents found $90,000 in cash in his freezer. The case is scheduled to start at 10 a.m. Tuesday in federal court in Alexandria, Va. William Jefferson is accused of soliciting bribes, racketeering, money laundering and other crimes. Jefferson represented parts of New Orleans until losing re-election last year. Prosecutors say he received more than $500,000 and sought millions more for using his influence to broker business deals in Africa.

Jury Seated In William Jefferson TrialOpening Statements Set To Happen Tuesday UPDATED: 5:14 pm CDT June 11, 2009 ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- A jury of eight women and four men was selected Thursday afternoon to hear the case against former U.S. Rep. William Jefferson. Judge T.S. Ellis seated the panel from a pool of 100 people. The jury includes eight white members and four African-Americans. Of the four alternate jurors, three are white and one is African-American. The racial makeup of the jury has been closely watched since the selection of the U.S. District Court in Alexandria as the venue for...

Key witness will not testify against former Rep. William Jeffersonby Bruce Alpert, The Times-Picayune Wednesday June 10, 2009, 5:26 PM ALEXANDRIA, VA. -- Lori Mody, the Virginia businesswoman who was expected to be the government's star witness in the federal corruption trial of former Rep. William Jefferson, D-New Orleans, will not be called to testify for the prosecution, lawyers said today. The judge was informed of the government's decision during a bench conference this morning that was not immediately made public. "We do not intend to call Lori Mody in our case in chief," lead prosecutor Mark Lytle said without...

Money Stashed in Freezer Is Key in Jefferson TrialBy Allison Klein Washington Post Staff Writer Sunday, June 7, 2009 The bribery and fraud case of former U.S. representative William J. Jefferson involves business ventures in seven West African nations, 16 criminal counts and a high-stakes legal battle over the raid of his Washington office. But when the trial begins Tuesday in Alexandria federal court, the case will be summed up to jurors with this key question: "Do you know the case of the congressman with the money in the freezer?" After nine terms in office, the Louisiana Democrat is most...

N. Korea says trial of two U.S. journalists will begin 3 p.m. SEOUL, June 4 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's highest court will begin trial of two U.S. journalists at 3 p.m., the official Korean Central News Agency said Thursday. "The Central Court of the DPRK will start a trial of American journalists Laura Ling and Seung-eun Lee from 3 p.m. Thursday on the basis of the indictment already brought against them," the one-sentence report said. The female reporters were detained on the border with China on March 17. North Korea accused them of illegally entering the country and committing unspecified...

Mose Jefferson seeks to postpone trialby The Associated Press Wednesday June 03, 2009, 6:55 AM NEW ORLEANS -- A former Louisiana congressman's brother is asking a federal judge to consider postponing his trial in a bribery case. Mose Jefferson, whose brother is former Rep. William Jefferson, has an Aug. 10 trial date for charges he bribed a former New Orleans school board president for her support in awarding school contracts to a computer-based teaching system he helped sell. **SNIP** All four are scheduled to be arraigned Friday on the new charges. A trial for that case is scheduled to start...

Ex-congressman's brother tasted political victory behind the scenesby Gordon Russell, The Times-Picayune Saturday May 30, 2009, 10:56 PM At first glance, Mose Jefferson embodies an archetype of American politics: the man who makes a living, and a life, by attaching himself like a parasite to a famous and powerful relative fortunate enough to win office. The truth is more complicated. While his once-formidable stroke was derived from the political success of his younger brother, former U.S. Rep. William Jefferson, the reverse was true as well. For it was Mose Jefferson, 66, who cut his teeth on politics first, learning the...

Prosecutors get favorable ruling in William Jefferson caseby Bruce Alpert The Times-Picayune Tuesday May 26, 2009, 4:58 PM WASHINGTON -- Federal prosecutors will not be required as part of their bribery case against former Rep. William Jefferson, D-New Orleans, to prove he sought payments in return for decisions he made as a member of Congress, a judge ruled Tuesday. Judge T.S. Ellis III said "it is sufficient for the government to adduce proof, including expert testimony or evidence of defendant's admissions and conduct, that it was customary for members of Congress in defendant's position to exert influence -- by advice,...

Somali pirate in US for Maersk Alabama hijack trial No more smiles as the Somali pirate is arraigned as an adult. Prosecutors say say Abdiwali Abdiqadir Muse (pictured) was not shy about making his presence known on the Maersk Alabama, brazenly tearing through the ship in a way that belied his young age and skinny, 5-foot-2 frame. Prosecuters contend that Abdiwali Abdiqadir Muse was a brazen ringleader. He was the first to board the ship, he fired a shot at the captain, he helped steal $30,000 in cash from a safe, and he bragged about hijacking ships in the past,...

WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court refused Monday to delay the upcoming trial of former Louisiana Rep. William Jefferson on bribery and other charges. The former Democratic congressman has argued that prosecutors trampled on his constitutional privileges as a lawmaker. But the high court refused to hear Jefferson's appeal to throw out the indictment against him. Jefferson was indicted in 2007 on multiple counts, including soliciting bribes and racketeering. Investigators raided Jefferson's home and found $90,000 in cash stuffed in a freezer. A federal judge has set a June 2 trial date in Alexandria, Va.

Penniless and weeping, a Somali pirate was hit with five federal charges Tuesday that could land him in the brig for the rest of his life. A Manhattan judge ruled Abduwali Abdukhadir Muse can be prosecuted as an adult - setting the stage for the first U.S. sea piracy trial in over a century. Prosecutors presented a charge of piracy and four related counts for hijacking the Maersk Alabama on April 8 and holding the captain hostage.

CAMP PENDLETON ----- Eight Marine Corps officers are weighing the fate of a sergeant accused of killing an Iraqi insurgent prisoner of war in what a prosecutor acknowledged is a "tough case." The panel is deciding whether 26-year-old Sgt. Ryan Weemer committed murder, as the prosecution alleges, or acted in self-defense, as the Illinois native's attorney contends. At minimum, prosecutor Capt. Nicholas Gannon told jurors Wednesday that Weemer is guilty of voluntary manslaughter in the 2004 incident that occurred in the opening hours of an intense, door-to-door fight for the Anbar province city of Fallujah.

NKorea to indict US journalists: state media Mon Mar 30, 3:53 pm ET SEOUL (AFP) – North Korea is preparing to indict two detained US journalists after it accused them of illegally entering the communist country, state media said early Tuesday. "The illegal entry of US reporters into the DPRK and their suspected hostile acts have been confirmed by evidence and their statements," the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said. The report said "a competent organ of the DPRK (North Korea)" had investigated the pair. "The organ is carrying on its investigation and, at the same time, making a preparation...

Josef Fritzl was today facing the prospect of dying in prison after he dramatically pleaded guilty to all the charges against him, including the murder of his own son. His change of heart was prompted by his daughter's harrowing evidence of how she was held captive for 24 years, repeatedly raped and had seven of her father's children. The 73-year-old told a stunned court in St Poelten, Austria, this morning that he now admitted all the charges, including murder and slavery. Asked why he had changed his plea, Fritzl told the panel of judges: 'When I saw the video tapes...