Nicholas Laughlin's blog etc.

The Observer runs an AP story today in which one of the prosecutors on the DC sniper case denies that Lee Boyd Malvo is considered the actual triggerman in all the shootings.

"An article in Sunday's New York Times cited an anonymous source who said that little if any evidence pointed to fellow suspect John Allen Muhammad, 41, as the triggerman in any of the sniper shootings. The article said that could make it difficult to obtain the death penalty against Muhammad.

"'I don't think that anybody in the investigation is responsible for the leak, because so much of it was dead wrong,' said Fairfax County Commonwealth's Attorney Robert Horan Jr, who is overseeing the case against Malvo."

The Times itself runs a version of this story today, with this note:

"A spokesman for the Times, Toby Usnik, said Mr. Horan did not respond to several calls from the newspaper seeking comment.

"'If the prosecutor would like to disclose what information he believes is inaccurate, we will respond accordingly,' Mr. Usnik said."