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David Hicks, a 30 year-old Australian who has been detained at Guantanamo since 2002, last night pleaded guilty to one count of material support for terrorism.
The drawing is from his first appearance before the military commissions in August 2004. Hicks, seated, is flanked by his attorneys, military - Maj. Michael D. Mori with his hand on Hicks' shoulder, and civilian. Hicks' parents are in the left foreground.
Washington Post story here.
The former number-two official at the Interior Department under Gale Norton pleaded guilty today to lying to the Senate Indian Affairs Committee about his ties to disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff; a tie with a romantic knot. The link between the former Deputy Secretary of the Interior, J. Steven Griles, 59, and Abramoff was Italia Federici
, the head of a conservative nonprofit called the Council of Republicans for Environmental Advocacy, or CREA.
Abramoff is said to have funneled around $500,000 to her organization in exchange for access to Norton, a co-founder of CREA, and Griles, Federici's then paramour.
Salon has a story about Italia here.
Washington Post story here.
The Supreme Court today heard arguments in a First Amendment free-speech case from Juneau, Alaska where, as the Olympic tourch passed through town on its way to the 2002 winter games in Salt Lake City, a high school student unfurled a 14-foot banner proclaiming "Bong Hits 4 Jesus". The student, Joseph Frederick, who refused to take down the banner and was suspended from school for ten days, successfully sued the principal and school board. The sketch shows his attorney, Douglas K. Mertz, arguing before the Court.
LA Times coverage by David Savage (left foreground of my drawing) is here.
The jury announced their verdict, guilty on 4 of 5 counts, shortly after noon. Libby, shown seated with his lawyers, betrayed no emotion. Left to right are: Alex Borrelli, foreground, Ted Wells, Libby, and William Jeffress.
Washington Post story is here.
The jury in the Scooter Libby sent out notes containing two questions before they recessed on Friday. The above sketch shows the lawyers for the government, in the left foreground, and the defense, right background, huddling to discuss how Judge Walton ought to reply from their respective interests.
AP story here.
The last note from the jury was not encouraging: "We would like another big Post-it pad. The large one for the easel." (someone thought it read 'the foreperson is a weasel')
The AP's Matt Apuzzo has the story here.
