Tucson shooting suspect pleads not guilty

PHOENIX, Arizona: The 22-year-old accused of trying to kill a US lawmaker in a shooting spree that left six dead in Tucson pleaded not guilty to three counts of attempted murder on Monday, his lawyer said.

Jared Lee Loughner's attorney Judy Clarke entered a plea of not guilty for the attempted murder of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and two of her aides in the January 8 shootings that shocked America.

Loughner sat quietly through the whole hearing, smiling broadly - as he did the haunting, shaven-headed police mugshot released after his first court appearance. He wore glasses and an orange prison jumpsuit, but his hair had grown.

The victims included a nine-year-old girl and an Arizona federal judge, John Roll, whose colleagues in the Phoenix courthouse have been disqualified from hearing the case due to fears they would be partial in the case.

A further case hearing was scheduled for March 9.

ORIGINAL SOURCE

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