Ariz. shooter in court; Giffords communicates

PHOENIX - As the nation got its first look at the 22-year-old loner accused of trying to assassinate Rep. Gabrielle Giffords Monday, doctors treating the severely wounded Arizona congresswoman reported that she managed to give a thumbs-up signal.

Jared Loughner, head shaved, a cut above the right temple, his hands cuffed, scanned a packed courtroom and sat down. His attorney, Judy Clarke, who defended "Unabomber" Ted Kaczynski and al-Qaida terrorist Zacarias Moussaoui, among others, whispered to him.

The judge asked Loughner whether he understood that he could get life in prison - or the death penalty - for killing federal Judge John Roll, one of the six who died in the shooting rampage at Giffords' meeting with constituents Saturday in Tucson.

"Yes," he said, standing at a lectern in his beige prison jumpsuit.

The judge ordered Loughner held without bail.

Meanwhile, doctors treating Giffords' brain wound said Monday the Democratic congresswoman was responding to verbal commands by raising two fingers of her left hand and gave the thumbs-up.

Giffords, 40, is in critical condition in Tucson's University Medical Center. Fourteen people were wounded, seven of whom remained hospitalized. The dead included a Giffords aide and a 9-year-old girl.

Recent CAT scans showed no further swelling in Giffords' brain after part of her skull was removed to ease pressure, but doctors were guarded. "That swelling can sometimes take three days or five days to maximize," said neurosurgeon Dr. Michael Lemole. "But every day that goes by and we don't see an increase, we're slightly more optimistic."

Loughner is charged with one count of attempted assassination of a member of Congress, two counts of killing an employee of the federal government and two counts of attempting to kill a federal employee. Those are federal charges.

With few new details emerging at the hearing, questions remained about what had motivated him to act.

Loughner was turned away from a Walmart store when he tried to buy ammunition, but was sold the bullets at another Walmart nearby, hours before the rampage, The Wall Street Journal reported. Federal investigators are focusing on the sequence of his actions as they try to establish that he was acting with some planning, the paper said.

Earlier Monday, the nation observed a moment of silence for the victims of the rampage, from the South Lawn of the White House and the steps of the U.S. Capitol to legislatures beyond Arizona and the International Space Station.

On the space station, Giffords' brother-in-law, commanding officer Scott Kelly, spoke over the radio.

"As I look out the window, I see a very beautiful planet that seems very inviting and peaceful," he said. "Unfortunately, it is not. These days, we are constantly reminded of the unspeakable acts of violence and damage we can inflict upon one another . . . "

"We're better than this," he said. "We must do better."

Outside the White House, President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama stood side by side, heads bowed and eyes closed. On the steps of the Capitol, congressional staff and other employees did the same.

"In the coming days, we're going to have a lot of time to reflect," Obama said. "Right now the main thing we're doing is to offer our thoughts and prayers to those who've been impacted, making sure we're joining together and pulling together as a country."

The Obamas will travel to Tucson Wednesday to attend a memorial for the victims. The president will speak at the service, on the campus of the University of Arizona. It will be free and open to the public.

Meanwhile, in a brief State of the State address Monday, Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer said the state is grieving but united and determined.

"Arizona is in pain, yes. Our grief is profound," she said. "We are yet in the first hours of our sorrow, but we have not been brought down. We will never be brought down," she told a joint session of the legislature.