Some 9/11 Relatives Testify for Defense

Thursday, April 20, 2006
By Jerry Markon and Timothy Dwyer Washington Post Staff Writers
Family members of those killed Sept. 11, 2001, again captivated jurors yesterday at the death penalty trial of Zacarias Moussaoui. But this time, the bereaved testified for the terrorist. It is rare for family members of murder victims to testify on behalf of the murderer, legal experts say. Almost always, families testify for the government. Prosecutors had objected out of concern that some family members might speak against the death penalty for Moussaoui, but U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema allowed the testimony, sources close to the case said. www.washingtonpost.com

Hamas supporters at a rally in Gaza.The United States wants other nations to cut off ...

CLEVELAND, March 20 -- As President Bush tells the tale, the battle for Tall Afar offers a case study in how U.S. and Iraqi forces working together can root out insurgents and restore stability. "The example of Tall Afar," he told an audience here Monday, "gives me confidence in our strategy."

Seventeen-year-old Marisa West was shopping for her prom dress last month when she started thinking about the high school students in New Orleans who are still dealing with the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. Would they be able to have their proms? she wondered. Would they have anything to wear?