Arguing that Moussaoui is incompetent and mentally ill, the court-appointed stand-by lawyers with whom he refuses to speak asked for a delay of today's arraignment on the Third Superseding Indictment.

The lawyers say that their mental health experts confirm their belief Moussaoui is mentally ill, and need more time to determine whether he is legally competent to proceed.

The lawyers also filed motions challenging parts of the Indictment. They argue that airplanes are not "weapons of mass destruction" and that the death penalty cannot be applied to conspiracy to commit acts of terrorism and conspiracy to destroy aircraft.

Muddying the waters even further is a petition for mandamus filed Tuesday in the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals by attorney Charles Freeman, Moussoui's lawyer of choice to advise him on federal law, seeking to overturn Judge Brinkema's prior rulings prohibiting him from meeting with and advising Moussoui.

According to Freeman's petition, only he can prevent Moussaoui's guilty plea.

Finally, there is a very readable profile on Public Defender Frank Dunham in Tuesday's Legal Times in which he discusses what it has been like for him to represent Mr. Moussaoui.