Free Republic

HAVERHILL (Ma.)-- An allegedly drunk Haverhill dental assistant told police, “I killed somebody. Shut the (expletive) up. This is going to change my whole life,” after crushing a saintly church leader to death with her car early yesterday morning, prosecutors said this morning. Lisa Leavitt, 37, was ordered held today on $50,000 cash bail after tearfully pleading not guilty to motor vehicle homicide while drunk and negligent operation for causing the death of Karen LaPierre, 63, of Haverhill. LaPierre was a longtime foster mom who had cared for more than 160 kids, collected Christmas presents for 1,000 needy children and...

U.S. army's suicide rate in Iraq higher than usual, Pentagon official says Jan. 14, 2004 Provided by: Canadian Press Written by: MATT KELLEY WASHINGTON (AP) - U.S. soldiers in Iraq are killing themselves at a high rate despite the work of special teams sent to help troops deal with combat stress, the Pentagon's top doctor said Wednesday. Meanwhile, about 2,500 soldiers who have returned from war are having to wait for medical care at bases in the United States, said Dr. William Winkenwerder, assistant secretary of defence for health affairs. The problem of troops on "medical extension" is likely...