An Afghan national, who police say gunned down two National Guard members near the White House, now faces a first degree murder charge. Rahmanullah Lakanwal, was originally charged with assault and weapons possession. However, Jeanine Pirro, the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia, has announced that the charges have been upgraded to first degree murder, upon receiving the news that U.S. Army Specialist, Sarah Beckstrom, had died from wounds suffered in the shooting. The alleged gunman had previously worked with the U.S. Military and CIA-backed forces in Afghanistan. Mr. Rahmanullah had been granted asylum this year, which allowed him to enter country. Ms. Pirro also announced that the case would be investigated for possible terrorism charges. The second soldier, U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, remains hospitalized in critical condition.
The Pressure to Plead Guilty in the College Admissions Case
For any defendant facing federal charges, the pressure to plead guilty is very strong. There are two main reasons for this: 1) the extreme financial burden of going to trial with a private lawyer; and 2) the long sentence that waits those who lose at trial. So when...
