Paul Rigby Wrote:1) Keeps the CIA's hand-in, perhaps enables some experimentation, refinement, innovation etc in the basic techniques, not least in information management

2) Removes a candidate of some interest to Democratic elders

3) Changes within national and regional climateric (big boost for Obama, not sure of consequences in Arizona)

Any more suggest themselves?

Paul Rigby Wrote:

Quote:Videos show Tucson shooting in detail, sources say

By David Nakamura and Sari Horwitz
Washington Post Staff Writers
Tuesday, January 18, 2011; 4:14 PM

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/18/AR2011011804266.html?hpid=topnews

TUCSON - Safeway store surveillance videos clearly show Rep. Gabrielle Giffords being shot in the face above the left eye from about two to three feet away by accused gunman Jared Loughner, who moments later killed U.S. District Judge John Roll as he tried to take cover under a table, two sources who have viewed the footage said Tuesday.

Roll appears to be also trying to help Ron Barber, who was wounded in the attack, as Roll is seen on the video pushing Barber to the ground and getting on top of him, the sources said.

Authorities have recovered nearly two dozen surveillance videos from inside and outside the Tucson grocery store ....

Loughner showed the friend his gun. When the friend asked why he needed a firearm, Loughner responded, "For protection around the house," the sources said.

The friend did not report the incident at the time. He told his father about the episode after hearing that Loughner had been arrested Jan. 8, and the father contacted law enforcement officials, the sources said.

The videos create a vivid picture of Loughner's movements through the Safeway store, which he entered sometime after 9:54 a.m., until he opened fire on the crowd at about 10:10 a.m., the sources said. The footage is now in possession of the FBI, which has declined to release it and is holding it as evidence for a potential trial.

In the clearest of the Safeway videos, Loughner is seen emerging from the south entrance, then looping around a table that was set up outside for Giffords's "Congress on Your Corner" event with constituents. He is "hurriedly walking," one source said, then approaches Giffords head on and shoots his first bullet into her face, where it struck her just above the left eye and exited out the back of her skull.

"He walks up, goes bang. It's very clear," one source said. "He is maybe 24 to 36 inches away. You can see her go straight down."

Loughner then turns to his left and begins firing on a crowd of people who were sitting in seats and standing in line for the event. They are not seen on this video, but the camera captures muzzle flashes from the gunfire, the source said.

The video then shows Loughner turning back to his right, where 65-year-old Ron Barber, Giffords's district director, and Roll are standing. He is seen shooting Barber, who reaches for his left shoulder, the sources said.

At that point, "Judge Roll starts to push Barber down on the ground and lay on top of Barber, and they start to scamper under the table, but Roll is on top," one source said. "At that point, you can see the suspect shoot Roll. Roll gets shot in the back, then he sort of appears halfway on the other side of the table. He starts to look over his right shoulder, and then he lays back down. It took out his aorta is what the autopsy showed."

That particular video cuts off at that point .... SNIP

nakamurad@washpost.com horwitzs@washpost.com