March 2005 in the United States

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This page deals with current events in the United States, its insular areas, and other American interests.

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Deaths in March 21 Bobby Short 21 Jeff Wiese 20 John De Lorean 17 George F. Kennan 9 Chris LeDoux 6 Teresa Wright Ongoing events Conflict in Iraq Social Security reform Accounting scandals NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship Future events none Upcoming holidays March 25 Good Friday March 27 Easter April 1 April Fool's Day April 17 Patriot's Day in Massachusetts May 8 Mother's Day Upcoming elections none Ongoing trials Michael Jackson Zacarias Moussaoui Dennis Rader

December 2005

• Bruce McPherson, a Republican, is sworn in as California's 30th Secretary of State. McPherson replaces Kevin Shelley, who resigned earlier this year due to a financial scandal. [NEWSLINK MISSING].

March 21, 2005

• Red Lake High School massacre in Bemidji, Minnesota leaves at least 10 dead (Reuters) (Guardian) (KARE11)

March 19, 2005

• Former Connecticut Governor John G. Rowland is sentenced to a year in prison after pleading guilty to a federal corruption charge. (The State) (Wired)

March 15, 2005

• Harvard faculty passes resolution doubting President Lawrence Summers' leadership after his comments on women. (Fox News)
• Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan testifies to the United States Senate Special Committee on Aging that Social Security must be reformed by 2008, due to the pressure that will be placed on the system by retiring baby boomers. (CNN)
• California Treasurer Phil Angelides begins his campaign to unseat Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. (SF Gate)
• Military auditors find $108 million in questionable fuel delivery costs charged by Halliburton for services rendered in Iraq. (Reuters)
• The FBI has closed its investigation of the 1997 murder of New York rap legend Notorious B.I.G. after dismissing the lead that the rapper was killed by a L.A. police officer working for rap mogul Suge Knight due to a lack of evidence. (soundgenerator)
• In New York City, former WorldCom CEO Bernard Ebbers is found guilty on all nine counts charged for his part in the accounting scandal leading to the company's bankruptcy. He may face up to 85 years in prison, but plans to appeal. (CNN) (Business Week) (MarketWatch) (Business Week on WorldCom)

March 14, 2005

• In California, San Francisco County Superior Court Judge Richard Kramer rules that the State's ban on gay marriage is unconstitutional, writing "It appears that no rational purpose exists for limiting marriage in this state to opposite-sex partners." (myway) (AP) (BBC)
• The United States government announces the arrests of 103 members of the violent street gang MS-13. (AP)

March 12, 2005

• Terry Ratzmann shoots eleven people at a Living Church of God meeting at a hotel in Brookfield, Wisconsin, killing seven, and then takes his own life. (Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel) (CNN)
• Brian Nichols, who shot and killed three people, including a judge, in an Atlanta courthouse, has been captured. (CNN)

March 11, 2005

• During his trial for the alleged rape of an Atlanta woman in the city's Superior Court, Brian Nichols grabs a gun from a sheriff's deputy guarding him. He fatally shoots the judge and court stenographer before fleeing the courtroom. Outside he kills another deputy and flees in a stolen car, sparking a city-wide manhunt. (NY Times) (CNN) (BBC)

March 10, 2005

• Doris Matsui takes her seat as a member of the United States House of Representatives. She was elected March 8, 2005, to replace her husband Bob Matsui, who died in January.
• A bench warrant for the arrest of Michael Jackson is issued after he fails to appear in court. His lawyer says Jackson has been admitted to hospital. (BBC)
• An FBI undercover operation leads to the indictment of 32 members of the Gambino crime family of New York Mafia (New York Post) (Reuters) (CourtTV)
• A man shoots himself to death during a traffic stop in Wisconsin, leaving behind a note claiming that he was the person who had murdered the husband and mother of judge Joan Humphrey Lefkow. Television station WMAQ in Chicago reveals that they have received a letter from the same man, taking credit for the murders. Bart Ross claims to have committed the murders in retaliation for a ruling against him by Judge Lefkow in a medical malpractice dispute. (AP)

March 8, 2005

• The Senate rejects two bills that would have raised minimum wage. (AZ Central) (New York Times)
• President Bush nominates John R. Bolton to be the next American ambassador to the UN. (AP)
• Martha Stewart is released from prison, and returns to work. (BusinessWeek) (New York Times)

March 7, 2005

• California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger wants to introduce legislation that would ban the sale of junk food in schools. (AP) (Washington Post)

March 5, 2005

(Wired)

• California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger attends the annual body building event, the Arnold Classic, in Columbus, Ohio. (KXTV) (ABC)

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