BREAKING NEWS

Man accused in Giffords shooting pleads not guilty

PHOENIX, Arizona — The 22-year-old man accused in a deadly Arizona rampage that critically wounded US Rep. Gabrielle Giffords made his first public statement regarding the shooting on Monday and pleaded not guilty.
Jared Loughner, from Tucson, Arizona, entered the plea to federal charges of trying to assassinate Giffords and kill two of her aides. He also faces murder charges in the deaths of a federal judge and another Giffords aide killed in the Tucson shootings, and more charges were expected.
Loughner had his wrists cuffed to a chain around his waist; eight US marshals kept watch in the packed Phoenix courtroom and gallery above. Investigators have said Loughner was mentally disturbed and acting increasingly erratic in the weeks before the attack on Jan. 8 that killed six and wounded 13.