Prosecutors asked a US judge to commit the suspect in the Tucson shooting rampage that wounded Representative Gabrielle Giffords to a federal facility where he can be evaluated by psychologists to determine whether he suffers from a mental defect that makes him incompetent to stand trial.

THE man accused of carrying out the mass shooting in Arizona has pleaded not guilty to charges he tried to kill politician Gabrielle Giffords and two of her aides.

PROMINENT Republican Sarah Palin yesterday accused critics of “blood libel” by blaming her rhetoric for contributing to the shooting rampage in Tucson that killed six and wounded 14, including Democratic Representative Gabrielle Giffords.

LAST Saturday’s attempted murder of Gabrielle Giffords, a Democratic Party congresswoman from Arizona, and the shooting dead of six onlookers by deranged gunman Jared Lee Loughner has triggered a fierce debate about the health of American democracy and gun laws. For some in Europe the tragic shootings only confirm their prejudice that America is a violent and uncivilised society.