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Therapist killed in meat cleaver attack

NEW YORK (AP) — A man hacked a psychologist to death with a meat cleaver at her Upper East Side office and seriously injured another therapist who tried to help her, police said.

The search was on Wednesday for the man as police tried to determine whether he was a patient of Kathryn Faughey.

She was stabbed to death Tuesday night in the office suite in a bustling neighborhood just blocks from a major hospital complex.

Police recovered three knives from the scene, including the cleaver and a 9-inch knife also used in the attack.

A suitcase on wheels filled with women’s clothing and adult diapers was also found, along with another bag filled with eight smaller knives that were not believed to have been used in the attack.

The condition of the room was that of a fierce struggle, police spokesman Paul Browne said at a briefing Wednesday. There was blood on the floor and on the walls.

A detailed sketch of the suspect and surveillance videotapes of him entering and leaving the building were released.

Police said the man, wearing a green overcoat and baseball hat, arrived at the office about 8 p.m. Tuesday, saying he had an appointment with Dr. Kent Shinbach, a geriatric psychiatrist who worked in the same office suite as Faughey.

According to police, the suspect walked past a doorman, into the waiting room and then into Faughey’s office. As he assaulted her, police said, Shinbach ran to help.

The assailant then attacked Shinbach, pinning him to the wall with a chair and stealing $90 before escaping through a basement door. Shinbach was in serious condition at a hospital with slash wounds on his head, face and arms.

The attack shocked the city’s large community of mental health professionals.

This is, I think, an extraordinary occurrence, said Sharon Brennan, a psychologist in Manhattan and a spokeswoman for the New York State Psychological Association. It has had a shocking impact on the whole New York community.

Alexandra Pike, who lives across the street in the same apartment building where the victim lived, allowed a news photographer to shoot the scene from her family’s apartment and said she used his telephoto lens to look into the victim’s office.

You could see there were shades torn down, there was overturned furniture. Papers were strewn all over, and you could see blood all over the place, said Pike, a 20-year-old journalism student.

Faughey, a licensed psychologist, described herself as a specialist in cognitive behavioral therapy, which focuses on changing thoughts that cause feelings or behaviors.

On her Web site, Faughey said she treated patients for relationship issues, coping with breakups, anxiety, panic attacks, stress over job changes and online intimacy.

In an interview with The New York Times in 2004, Faughey offered some advice on breaking up in a digital age: In the old days it was burn the letters, she said. Today, clear the hard drive.

Faughey was remembered fondly by her neighbors. Pill Lee, who works for a nearby dry cleaner, described her as a quiet, smiling woman whose favorite outfit was a black pantsuit and white blouse.

She was very pleasant, very friendly, but she was quite private and reserved, said Elaine Hartstein, whose husband was Faughey’s dentist and practiced in the building where the victim lived.

The slaying unnerved residents in the affluent neighborhood.

Linda Elliott, a resident of the building where the attack occurred, said, Everyone in the building is very nervous, because we know that this person is loose. It’s very frightening.

Serious attacks by patients on their mental health providers are rare, but they do happen, although usually in institutions that see more seriously ill patients.

A psychiatrist in Omaha died from head injuries in August, several days after a patient with a grudge and a history of violence attacked him as he arrived at a medical center.

It is common for therapists who see patients in their homes or private offices to install alarm systems, or even help buzzers, in the event that a patient starts to lose control. In Manhattan, those safety systems are often complemented by the usual security systems for office buildings, which include doormen and video cameras.

Safety is always a concern, Brennan said. She added that therapists are thoroughly trained in how to assess a patient’s potential for violence, and would normally see patients in a private setting only if they had determined that the safety risk was low.
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Clemens: Friend Andy Pettitte ‘misheard’ steroid talk

WASHINGTON (CNN) — Roger Clemens, pro baseball’s embattled ace pitcher, told a House panel Wednesday that his close friend Andy Pettitte misheard a conversation in which Pettitte claims Clemens admitted using performance-enhancing substances.

According to an affidavit released by the panel Wednesday, pitcher Pettitte said that in 1999 or 2000 Clemens told me he had taken HGH, according to committee Chairman Rep. Henry Waxman, referring to human growth hormone.

Saying Pettitte was and will remain a close friend, Clemens told the panel that he believed Pettitte made a mistake.

I believe Andy has misheard, Mr. Congressman, on his comment about myself using HGH, which never happened, Clemens said.

The hearing before the panel examining performance-enhancing drug use in America’s pastime is being shown live in its entirety on CNN.com.

A clearly miffed Clemens opened Wednesday’s testimony by saying he resented the accusations that have forever tainted his legacy, which includes a record seven Cy Young Awards.

No matter what we discuss here today, I am never going to have my name restored, but I’ve got to try and set the record straight, Clemens said with his chief accuser sitting at the same table.

Brian McNamee, the former trainer who says he injected Clemens with performance enhancers, and Charlie Scheeler, an investigator for ex-Sen. George Mitchell’s scathing report that alleged dozens of ballplayers had used the juice, are set to testify Wednesday as well. Watch McNamee apologize for tainting our national pastime

McNamee flatly challenged Clemens’ remarks, reading from a prepared opening statement to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

I injected those drugs into the body of Roger Clemens at his direction. Unfortunately, Roger has denied this and has led a full-court attack on my credibility, McNamee said.

McNamee also defended his own credibility and told the panel that he was promised no special treatment for fingering star players.

I have no reason to lie, and every reason not to. If I do lie I will be prosecuted, he said. All that I was ever told was to tell the truth to the best of my ability, and that is what I have done. I told the investigators that I injected three people, two of whom, I believe, confirm my account. The third is sitting at this table.

In a nearly direct exchange before the committee, McNamee and Clemens provided conflicting accounts on the contents of syringes that were used to inject the pitcher. Clemens told the panel that McNamee injected him with vitamin B-12 on three occasions, but never with steroids or other illegal substances. Watch Clemens explain how he treated McNamee

I’ve never given Roger B-12, McNamee said.

McNamee said he believes he stopped giving baseball players performance-enhancing substances in 2002. He called steroid usage pretty prevalent among players at that time.

Grilled on why he provided players with such substances, McNamee replied, I just accepted it as the norm, and it was part of the culture in baseball.

According to the Mitchell report, McNamee told investigators that he injected Clemens on 16 occasions with steroids, testosterone or human growth hormone.

Missing from Wednesday’s hearing was Pettitte, who was also named in the Mitchell report. Pettitte has acknowledged using human growth hormone to help him recover from an injury in 2002.

The House panel revealed Wednesday that Pettitte admitted using it again in 2004 shortly before having season-ending elbow surgery.

Pettitte initially withheld details of the second incident because he got the HGH from his father, who had obtained it in an effort to overcome health problems, Pettitte’s attorneys said. Pettitte sought to shield him from publicity, read a statement from Pettitte’s attorneys.

Pettitte, who has played with Clemens on the Yankees or Houston Astros since 1999, was excused by the committee Tuesday, along with former Yankee Chuck Knoblauch. McNamee told the panel he injected both men with performance-enhancing substances. See the key players in the case

Mr. Knoblauch and Mr. Pettitte have answered all the committee’s questions and their testimony at the hearing is not needed, read a statement from the panel. It added that Clemens and McNamee have cooperated with the investigation.

Waxman said before Wednesday’s testimony that Pettitte’s and Knoblauch’s testimony backed up McNamee’s account. Read Sports Illustrated analysis of the latest developments

Clemens’ attorneys have steadfastly denied that their client used performance-enhancing substances.

Clemens was careful in his remarks to attack McNamee’s credibility, rather than the integrity of the Mitchell report.

Clemens said, If I am guilty of anything, it is of being too trusting of everyone, wanting to see the best in everyone and being too nice to everyone.

Clemens’ legal team has filed a defamation suit against McNamee, saying the former trainer’s allegations fueled rampant speculation and irreparably tainted the reputation of one of baseball’s hardest working and most talented pitchers.

McNamee’s attorneys last week, however, showed reporters photos of needles and gauze that McNamee said were used to inject Clemens with steroids and human growth hormone. They said they turned the items over to federal investigators in January.

McNamee, a former New York City police officer, kept the materials because he was nervous that Clemens’ drug use would become public and that Clemens would turn against him, said Richard Emery, who is representing the former trainer.

Rusty Hardin, Clemens’ lawyer, dismissed the purported evidence as the desperate Hail Mary of a man who wants to ruin Roger. Hardin would not indicate whether Clemens would voluntarily provide a DNA sample to compare with the DNA on the needles and gauze, but said, Any time any legitimate law enforcement agency asks a reasonable inquiry of us, we’ll be glad to respond.

Waxman said Wednesday that McNamee has acknowledged that he was not completely forthcoming with investigators in his past remarks regarding Clemens. McNamee told the panel he withheld certain information about Clemens because he was trying not to hurt the guy, Waxman said.

The chairman also said that Clemens’ past remarks included conflicts and inconsistencies on whether he had discussions about human growth hormone with McNamee.

Clemens met individually Thursday with House lawmakers, including Waxman.

Wednesday’s hearing comes a day after the House committee took testimony from four doctors who testified on the myths and facts about performance-enhancing substances such as human growth hormone, B-12 and other substances.
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Hezbollah commander on FBI terrorist list killed

BEIRUT, Lebanon (CNN) — A senior Hezbollah commander suspected in some of the highest-profile international terrorist attacks of the last 25 years has died in an explosion in Syria, Hezbollah TV said Wednesday.

Imad Mughniyeh died Tuesday in an explosion in a residential section of the Syrian capital, Damascus, according to Hezbollah’s television station, Al-Manar.

Hezbollah blamed Israel for Mughniyeh’s death, but Israeli officials denied they were involved.

Israel rejects the attempt by terror groups to attribute to it any involvement in this incident, an Israeli government spokesman said.

Western intelligence agencies long suspected Mughniyeh in the 1983 bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, that killed 63 people, according to a 2001 CNN report. He also was suspected in the truck bombing that year of the U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut, an attack that killed 241 people and preceded the U.S. military withdrawal from Lebanon.

The FBI listed Hezbollah’s Mughniyeh as one of its Most Wanted Terrorists, blaming him for his role in the 1985 hijacking of TWA Flight 847, which gripped the attention of TV viewers in the United States and around the world for more than two weeks. Watch how Western authorities have been after Mughniyeh for two decades

Hijackers seized the plane as it traveled from Athens, Greece, to Rome, Italy, forcing it to land at the Beirut airport. A U.S. Navy diver, Robert Dean Stethem, was shot and killed during the 17-day ordeal.

The FBI says on its Web site that Mughniyeh was wanted for his role in planning and participating in the June 14, 1985, hijacking of a commercial airliner which resulted in the assault on various passengers and crew members, and the murder of one United States citizen.

Before the September 11 terrorist attacks, U.S. officials had blamed Mughniyeh for the deaths of more Americans around the world than any other terror suspect, CNN reported in 2001.

There was a massive intelligence effort to locate Mughniyeh for over 20 years, Magnus Ranstorp, a professor at the University of St. Andrews Center for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence, told CNN that year.

U.S. authorities tried to seize Mughniyeh on at least two occasions — in France in 1986 and in Saudi Arabia in 1995, CNN reported.
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Malaysia’s PM dissolves Parliament

PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia (AP) — Malaysia’s prime minister dissolved Parliament Wednesday, paving the way for general elections that will test his declining popularity amid complaints about inflation, crime and ethnic tensions.

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi made the announcement at a hastily convened news conference, with Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak standing by his side.

The elections were not due until mid-2009 when Abdullah’s five-year term ends, but most prime ministers have traditionally sought a fresh mandate after four years.

An election date will be announced later by the Election Commission. E-mail to a friend

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Obama, McCain sweep Potomac primaries

WASHINGTON (CNN) — Tuesday’s Potomac primaries handed Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain three more victories as they inch forward on the road to the White House.

Obama, running a tight race with Sen. Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination, passed her in delegate count after his Tuesday wins.

According to CNN calculations, Obama has 1,208 delegates to Clinton’s 1,185.

To clinch the Democratic nomination, a candidate must get 2,025 delegates.

Obama had led in pledged delegates, but Clinton had held the lead when superdelegates were factored in.

Superdelegates, a group of almost 800 Democratic Party officials and leaders, are not required to make their votes public and are free to change their minds.

The Illinois senator has now won eight consecutive contests.

McCain, the presumptive nominee for the Republican party, has 812 delegates to former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee’s 217, according to CNN estimates.

A GOP candidate needs 1,191 delegates to secure the nomination.

The Potomac primaries were made up of contests in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia.

The change we seek swept through Chesapeake and over the Potomac, Obama told supporters Tuesday night.

We won the state of Maryland. We won the commonwealth of Virginia. And though we won in Washington, D.C., this movement won’t stop until there is change in Washington, D.C., and tonight we’re on our way. Watch Obama rally supporters

McCain saluted Huckabee after the results came in but turned his campaign toward the general election, saying he would offer a better understanding of the challenges we face than either of the Democratic front-runners.

We know where either of their candidates will lead this country, and we dare not let them, the Arizona senator said, without mentioning the Democratic candidates by name. Watch McCain talk about what’s ahead

McCain, who has come under criticism from conservatives who say he is too liberal to be the Republican nominee, carried the conservative vote in Maryland, according to exit polls. See what some top conservatives say about McCain

Huckabee, however, fared better with conservatives in Virginia.

He vowed to stay in the race despite losing three more primaries, pledging to give voters in the coming primaries a solid, conservative, absolute pro-life candidate as an alternative to McCain.

The nomination is not secured until somebody has 1,191 delegates, Huckabee said. That has not yet happened. We’re still continuing to work and to give voters in these states a choice. Watch why Huckabee says he’s marching on

Obama did well with Democrats across race and gender lines Tuesday night, and seems to be eating away at Clinton’s backbone of support: women.

According to exit polls out of Virginia and Maryland, in both states Obama won roughly 60 percent of the female vote — a demographic that has carried Clinton to success in past primaries. Clinton fared worse among men — more than two-thirds in both states chose Obama.

Meanwhile, Obama scored his highest percentage of African-American support to date — winning close to 90 percent of that voting bloc in each state.

The two evenly split the white vote in Virginia, while Clinton slightly beat Obama among whites in Maryland.

In most past primaries, Clinton has held an edge among white voters. Tuesday, Obama even beat Clinton among Latino voters, a group that has heavily favored Clinton in most past primaries.

In Virginia and Maryland, Latinos went for Obama over Clinton by 6 points, though their support was not decisive in either contest — only 5 percent of Democratic primary voters in Virginia and 4 percent in Maryland were Latino.

The only demographic Clinton won was white women, who broke for her over Obama by 10 points in Virginia and 13 points in Maryland.

Clinton turned her attention to Texas, which holds its primary on March 4.

We’re going to sweep across Texas in the next three weeks, bringing our message about what we need in America … I’m tested, I’m ready. Let’s make it happen, the New York senator told a crowd in El Paso. Watch Clinton campaign in Texas

Candidates from both parties face off again next Tuesday in Wisconsin and Washington, and Hawaii holds its Democratic caucuses then.

March 4 is another delegate-rich day, with contests in Ohio, Rhode Island, Texas and Vermont.

McCain needs 379 more delegates to clinch his party’s nomination.
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