Giffords condition remains critical; nation observes moment of silence
By Michael Muskal, Los Angeles Times
U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona continues in critical condition, a lack of change that is a good sign, hospital officials said on Monday. In Washington, President Obama led the nation in mourning for the victims of the Tucson shooting rampage that left six dead and 14 injured.
Giffords is one of two people who remain in the intensive-care unit at University Medical Center, doctors said at a televised news conference. Two patients from Saturday’s shooting have been discharged, and five are listed in serious condition.
Jared Lee Loughner, who has been in custody since the Saturday morning shooting outside a Tucson supermarket where Giffords was greeting constituents, is scheduled to appear in federal court in the early afternoon. Loughner, 22, faces five counts of murder and attempted murder of federal employees.
Investigators have said that Giffords, 40, was Loughner’s principal target. She was wounded in the head and remained in critical condition after surgery designed to relieve the danger of damage from swelling of the brain.
“At this phase in the game, no change is good, and we have no change,” said Dr. Michael Lemole Jr., chief of the division of neurosurgery. “She is still following those basic commands, and on top of that, the CAT scans are showing that there is no progression of the swelling.
