MIAMI — A sheriff’s deputy who police say was fatally shot by an inmate he was transporting may have violated policy by pulling over and letting the prisoner out, according to witness statements released Thursday.
Witnesses said Broward County Deputy Paul Rein, 76, suddenly stopped his medical van in a parking lot, opened the back doors and removed the inmate, who shot him minutes later, according to the affidavit.
“(Rein) was a compassionate guy and if he perhaps thought the inmate was in distress, maybe that was it, but that’s just speculation,” said sheriff’s spokesman Jim Leljedal. “We may never know.”
Inmate Michael Mazza, 40, was handcuffed in a wheelchair and had a crutch. He had claimed to have a back problem. Investigators now think that may have been a ruse that was part of an escape plan.
Terror suspect’s eyewitness report withheld
GUANTANAMO BAY, CUBA — Defense attorneys for terror suspect Omar Khadr said Thursday that they learned this week there was an eyewitness to his alleged role in an attack on U.S. soldiers whose testimony could exonerate Khadr of war crimes.
The prosecution has known about the witness since shortly after the July 2002 firefight in Afghanistan that killed a U.S. medic and left Khadr in the custody of U.S. forces, defenders said.
Khadr has been at Guantanamo since November 2002. He was charged in February.
The disclosure raised fresh concerns among detainee defense attorneys and human- rights advocates about the military commissions set up to try terror suspects here.
Khadr’s chief defense lawyer, Navy Lt. Cmdr. William C. Kuebler, told reporters after his client’s arraignment that the eyewitness’ information had been classified by the government and kept from Khadr’s attorneys for the past five years. Even after learning of it Tuesday, Kuebler was prohibited from disclosing many details, even to his 21-year-old client.
Black hole may be source for “Oh-My-God” particle
An international team of scientists said Thursday that they have tracked down the origin of the mysterious “Oh-My- God” particle – the nickname for a cosmic ray bearing energies millions of times larger than the most powerful particle accelerator can produce on Earth.
Researchers at the Pierre Auger Observatory in Argentina said the most likely source for these ultra-high-energy particles is a type of black hole found at the center of some galaxies.
