Lawsuit filed over bin Laden death photos

"The American people have a right to know, by law" more about bin Laden's death at his Pakistan compound, Judicial Watch said.Conservative watchdog group Judicial Watch sues Defense DepartmentLegal group has made Freedom of Information request for materialsIt wants video, photographs of raid that killed al Qaeda leaderObama has said government will not publicly release photos

Washington (CNN) -- A conservative legal watchdog group has filed the first lawsuit seeking public release of video and photographs of the U.S. military raid and aftermath that left al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden dead.

Judicial Watch is asking the Department of Defense to comply with a Freedom of Information request for the material, especially photos of the September 11 mastermind lying dead on the third floor of his Pakistan hideout. The legal complaint to force compliance was made in federal court in Washington on Friday.

The group says it is being "irreparably harmed" by the Obama administration's "unlawful withholding of requested records."

Judicial Watch made its initial request the day after the commando assault by Navy SEALs. A similar request for material was filed against the CIA.

President Barack Obama had announced that the U.S. government would not reveal any photographs of the May 2 military action and bin Laden's subsequent burial at sea. Some members of Congress have been allowed to privately view the materials this week.

Some al Qaeda-affiliated leaders, along with domestic and foreign websites and blogs, have questioned whether bin Laden was really killed and whether the details of his death released by the administration were accurate.

A May 9 letter from the Pentagon to Judicial Watch -- mentioned in the legal complaint -- stated, "At this time, we are unable to make a release determination on your request within the 20-day statutory time period" required by federal law. The legal group had the option of filing an administrative appeal directly with the Defense Department, rather than going for a lawsuit.

"The American people have a right to know, by law, basic information about the killing of Osama bin Laden," Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said. "Incredibly, the Obama administration told us that it has no plans to comply with the Freedom of Information law, so we must now go to court. President Obama's not wanting to 'spike the football' is not a lawful basis for withholding government documents. This historic lawsuit should remind the Obama administration that it is not above the law."

Obama had barred any public release of photos or video, telling CBS News, "It is important to make sure that very graphic photos of somebody who was shot in the head are not floating around as an incitement to additional violence or as a propaganda tool." He added, "We don't trot this stuff out as trophies. We don't need to spike the football."

Judicial Watch calls itself a "a conservative, nonpartisan educational foundation (promoting) transparency, accountability and integrity in government, politics and the law."

The case is Judicial Watch v. U.S. Department of Defense (1:11-cv-00890).

CNN

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Murder charges filed in shotgun slaying of MTV producer in L.A.

Gabriel Ben-Meir worked on several MTV shows, including "Punk'd" and "Nitro Circus."A 29-year-old woman is charged with murder in two shotgun slayingsTwo alleged male accomplices are charged with robberyMTV music coordinator Gabriel Ben-Meir was shot in the head SundayAuthorities are also investigating the two male accomplices in the two killings

Los Angeles (CNN) -- A 29-year-old Los Angeles woman was charged with murder Friday and her two accused male accomplices were charged with robbery in a shotgun crime spree that allegedly resulted in the execution-style slaying of an MTV producer, authorities said.

In all, the spree amounted to 10 robberies and two homicides over 11 days in the densely populated mid-town area of Los Angeles, police said.

One of the homicide victims was 30-year-old MTV music coordinator Gabriel Ben-Meir, who was killed by a shotgun blast to the head in the early morning hours Sunday after parking his car outside his apartment, police said.

Ben-Meir worked on several MTV shows, including "Punk'd" and "Nitro Circus." He came from an entertainment family.

The three suspects were believed to have been living or spending time in an area just a couple of miles from where the crimes occurred, police said.

The crimes were considered unusual because the suspects used a shotgun, a rarely used weapon, and they were robbing targets such as two donut stores, a liquor store, or an individual walking alone at night -- which didn't promise big financial payoffs for the criminals, police said.

The other homicide victim was Marcelo Aragon, 35, who was killed on April 30, authorities said.

In addition to two counts of murder, the female suspect, Destiny Young, 29, of Los Angeles was also charged with five counts of second-degree robbery, prosecutors said.

Richard Edward Anderson, 33, of Reseda, California, was charged with six counts of second-degree robbery, prosecutors said.

Jabaar Vincent Thomas, 26, of Los Angeles was charged with three counts of second-degree robbery and one count of being a felon in possession of a handgun. Thomas is a convicted felon who was paroled in December, Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck told reporters at a press conference Friday.

Police are still investigating what role Thomas and Anderson may have played in the two killings, Beck said.

The big break in the case came Wednesday when Wilshire Area Senior Lead Officer Spiro Roditis observed a vehicle matching the description of one used in the shotgun robbery of a liquor store five days earlier, police said. The officer saw the car passing him on the other side of the street and then stopped it, police said.

Inside the car were Thomas and Young, Beck said. Anderson was arrested later Wednesday in south Los Angeles, Beck said.

"Although charged as a potential capital case, the District Attorney's office will not make a decision on whether to seek death or life without parole for Young until the matter moves closer to trial," Shiara Davila-Morales, spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office, said in a statement.

Police declined to release photographs of the three because those photos still need to be shown to witnesses to confirm identification of the suspects in the remaining robberies, Beck told reporters.

Beck declined to state who pulled the trigger in the two shotgun slayings.

"You can be an accessory. You can be the driver or you can be the lookout" and still be charged with murder, Beck told reporters.

"I am sure that there was nothing that these victims did that would warrant a homicide," Beck said.

"As pleased as we are to see that these suspects are in custody, the hearts of all the Los Angeles Police Department go out to the families of Marcelo Aragon and Gabriel Aron Ben-Meir, the two innocent victims in this senseless series," Beck said. "We are profoundly sorry for the loss of these families and will do everything in our power to bring to justice those that perpetrated these heinous crimes."

Police were able to get a videotape of the suspects' vehicle, an early 1990s blue Crown Victoria, from a May 6 robbery of a liquor store, said Andrew Smith, Los Angeles police assistant commanding officer of operations for the west bureau.

"When you're robbing people when they are walking home at night, it's just low-end crimes of opportunities by evil perpetrators," Smith said.

The Ben-Meir family released a statement through the police chief in which they expressed their "deep appreciation to the LAPD for their extraordinary efforts" leading to the arrests, according to the statement.

"The family would appreciate everyone's understanding of their desire for privacy while they mourn the loss of a son and brother and celebrate the memory of his life," the statement said.

It was not immediately known Friday whether the three suspects had retained attorneys.

CNN

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