Gunman's "lawsuit" vs. Gabby Giffords could be hoax: report
TUCSON, Ariz. -- A lawsuit supposedly filed by the gunman in the 2011 Tucson mass shooting against his best-known victim and the federal government could be a hoax, reports CBS Tucson affiliate KOLD-TV, the source of the original story.
The court filing, which appeared to have been made by Jared Lee Loughner and without a lawyer, alleges emotional and psychological distress and features bizarre accusations, including that the shooting was a setup and his original lawyer was a global spy who forced him to plead guilty.
Loughner pleaded guilty and is serving seven consecutive life sentences, plus 140 years, for the Jan. 8, 2011 shooting that killed six people and wounded 13, including former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords.
The purported suit names Giffords and the federal Bureau of Prisons and seeks $25 million for emotional and psychological distress. It was filed in federal court in Arizona on March 18.
But just a few days earlier, a similar suit was filed.
That one was started on March 15, supposedly by Jason Brian Dalton, the Uber driver accused of killing six people in a shooting rampage in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
That purported suit had Dalton suing Uber Technologies, Inc. for $10 million in punitive damages.
It later turned out to be a hoax.
According to a note on the Loughner filing, the supposed lawsuit could be thrown out because it does not follow proper form, KOLD says.
The envelopes of both the supposed Loughner lawsuit and the fake Dalton lawsuit have very similar characteristics.
Both have the same three stamps in the top right corner, have similar handwriting, and are postmarked in Philadelphia.
KOLD was continuing to ty to determine the validity of the purported Loughner lawsuit.
Among its claims: