Virginia

Judge postpones terror trial

A federal judge in Alexandria postponed the June trial of terrorism suspect Zacarias Moussaoui, allowing time for an appellate court to decide whether he can have access to an al-Qaida prisoner.

U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema did not set a new date Wednesday.

Brinkema has issued a secret ruling that would allow Moussaoui access to the prisoner, suspected Sept. 11 mastermind Ramzi Binalshibh, according to a government official speaking only on condition of anonymity. Binalshibh was arrested in Pakistan and is being interrogated in an undisclosed location.

The government has notified the court it would contest the ruling in the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond.

Virginia

Sniper suspect’s lawyers challenge death penalty

Lawyers for sniper suspect Lee Boyd Malvo challenged the constitutionality of Virginia’s death penalty law in court papers filed Wednesday in Fairfax.

They also asked the judge to rule graphic crime scene photos inadmissible, grant access to evidence and regulate the number of deputies who will guard Malvo in the courtroom.

In filing a motion to dismiss, defense attorneys argued that the Virginia death penalty law is unconstitutionally vague. The law allows a jury to impose the death penalty if it finds that a defendant’s crime is “outrageously or wantonly vile” or that the defendant would commit future crimes that “would constitute a continuing serious threat to society.”

Baltimore

Kerry has prostate surgery

Democratic presidential hopeful John Kerry underwent successful surgery Wednesday for an early form of prostate cancer, with his doctor saying there were no indications the disease had spread and indicating that the Massachusetts senator could be out of the hospital as early as Saturday.

“Everything looked completely contained,” said Dr. Patrick Walsh, chief of urology at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. “I think he’s out of the woods.”

Walsh said he and Dr. Jonathan Epstein, a pathologist, closely inspected the prostate and nearby lymph nodes and tissues and found no suspicious signs that the cancer had spread beyond the gland.

Results from a microscopic examination are expected in a few days.