Mass shootings suspect Jared Lee Loughner will be making a trip from Phoenix to Tucson soon so federal authorities can obtain samples of his handwriting and compare them with items seized from his home.
U.S. District Court Judge Larry A. Burns ruled Thursday that Loughner must provide handwriting samples to the FBI within the next seven days in response to a motion filed by prosecutors.
In their written motion, prosecutors said they intend to “introduce documents found in the defendant’s residence which contain handwritten references to the Member of Congress the defendant is accused of attempting to assassinate, as well as references to a gun and bullets. Additional notebooks containing handwriting were also found in the defendant’s residence.”
Loughner is charged with attempted assassination of a member of Congress in connection with the wounding of U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, and with two counts of attempted murder of a federal employee in the wounding of Giffords’ aides Ron Barber and Pam Simon. The shootings occurred Jan. 8 outside a supermarket on Tucson’s northwest side.
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More federal charges are expected to be filed, including those alleging Loughner murdered U.S. District Court Judge John M. Roll and congressional aide Gabe Zimmerman.
Special agents searched Loughner’s Tucson home in the 7700 block of North Soledad Avenue, near North Thornydale and West Magee roads, the afternoon of the shootings.
Kept inside a safe in the home was an envelope with writing on the outside.
“I planned ahead,” “My assassination” and the name Giffords appear on the envelope, along with what appears to be Loughner’s signature, FBI Special Agent Tony M. Taylor said in court documents.
Prosecutors asked that Loughner, 22, be brought to the U.S. Courthouse in Tucson to provide the handwriting samples.
In other developments, U.S. Attorney Dennis K. Burke and Pima County Attorney Barbara LaWall announced the federal case against Loughner must come before any proceedings in state court.
LaWall has said she intends to seek an indictment against Loughner for not only the federal employees killed or injured in the attack, but for the civilian victims, including those who died: Christina-Taylor Green, 9; Dorwan Stoddard, 76; Phyllis Schneck, 79; and Dorothy Morris, 76.
In a joint news release, Burke and LaWall said the statute governing Giffords’ shooting says state and local jurisdictions must suspend their prosecution until after the federal case is over.
“As required by the statute, once those charges have been fully prosecuted through the Federal court system, Arizona state charges will be prosecuted by the Pima County Attorney’s Office. These cases will be tried in sequence and will ensure that all rights of the victims and their families are vindicated,” the news release states.
Contact reporter Kim Smith at kimsmith@azstarnet.com or 573-4241.
