Jared Lee Loughner to Face Federal Trial First

TUCSON - The suspect in the attempted assassination of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords will first be prosecuted on federal charges before he faces any state charges in connection with the January 8 shooting in which six people died.

The U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Arizona announced today that the Justice Department and Arizona officials have agreed to prosecute Jared Lee Loughner first on federal charges

Loughner, 22, faces a three-count federal indictment, including Attempted Assassination of a Member of Congress.

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Under U.S. law, state or local prosecutions are suspended while a Federal case is pending.

Once those charges have been fully prosecuted in the Federal court system, the Pima County Attorney's Office will press state charges.

"These cases will be tried in sequence and will ensure that all rights of the victims and their families are vindicated," said the Justice Department statement.

Meanwhile, The Associated Press reports that prosecutors have asked a federal judge to order Loughner to submit handwriting samples, to compare with documents seized in a search of his home.

Prosecutors said in a filing Thursday that they plan to introduce at trial documents found at Loughner's home that make references to Giffords, guns and bullets.

Prosecutors said an expert will need a sample of Loughner's handwriting to determine if he wrote the documents.