| By Bill Briggs, NBC News contributor The Defense of Department is hoping that two new weapons – big money and little oil – can curb the rising military suicide rate. A three-year, $10 million study, to be funded by the Department of Defense and conducted at the Medical University of South Carolina, will test whether omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oils can relieve the anxieties and quiet the suicidal thoughts plaguing many combat veterans, one of the lead researchers said Monday. Scientists at the National Institutes of Health have long maintained that a diet heavy in omega-3 – common in salmon, anchovies and other oily fish – can elevate happiness. "The problem is coming to a head with the recognition that in the military, you're more likely to die by suicide than by enemy combatant – and that's not acceptable," said Dr. Ron Acierno, a co-investigator on the project and a professor in the department of psychiatry at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, S.C. "Omega-3s are among the primary fatty acids in the brain. They cannot be synthesized by the body – which means they have to be eaten (via food, drink or pill form). They're responsible for neural generation and neural repair – for new neurons to be made and for broken ones to be fixed," added Acierno, who also serves as the director of the PTSD clinical team at the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center in Charleston. The participants are veterans or service members who have been referred to a VA mental health treatment program because they are having suicidal thoughts. If the patients agree to join the study, they will be secretly placed in one of two groups. One segment will drink juice-box-sized smoothies high in omega-3. The second will drink placebos. "Anybody who is showing suicidal ideation is going to be referred for the standard mental health treatment at the VA here in Charleston, which is a best practices site, so the standard treatment here is pretty good," Acierno said. That means, he added, that military folks in the placebo group will not receive inadequate care. Watch the most-viewed videos on NBCNews.com For those former and current service members who receive the omega-3-laced smoothies, they'll be asked to gulp one in the morning and another at night. All of the study participants then will be tracked over time as researchers interview them and measure, via a scoring system, their suicidal thoughts and intentions – whether they have formed a plan to take their own lives – along with their anxiety levels and cognitive-processing abilities, Acierno said. Any actual attempts by the participants to harm themselves will be immediately treated but that bahavior will become part of the study's data. In addition to medical literature accounts that show omega-3 can buoy mental health, the study team is "excited" about the prospects of fish oil serving as something of a solution, Acierno said, because the product carries an "extremely low risk" for side effects. It's also relatively cheap – costing between $12 and $35 retail. At Target, for example, a bottle of Nature Made Ultra Omega-3 Fish Oil, priced at $11.89, holds 45 softgel pills each containing 1,400 milligrams. Target also sells $44.99 boxes of Coromega orange-flavored squeeze packets that each contain 650 milligrams of omega-3, derived from pharmaceutical-grade fish oil. "The potential good versus the potential extraordinarily low risk and low cost make this a type of intervention that can be – if findings are warranted – rolled out extremely fast and on a large scale," Acierno said. Bonnie Carroll, a leading expert in military suicides and founder and president of the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), said she has not read or heard about omega-3 as a possible medicinal tool in treating depression or post-traumatic stress. "We are very open-minded on any techniques that might be useful," said Carroll, whose organization provides peer-based emotional support for families affected by the death of a loved one serving in the U.S. military. She also was co-chair of the DOD Task Force on the Prevention of Suicide in the Armed Forces. Omega-3 has been on under the microscope for more than a year as experts have tried to dissect the high number of military suicides. In August 2011, a study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry suggested that certain fish oil components had potent psychiatric benefits and suggested that taking an omega-3 supplement might help service members. That research, performed in part by the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences, scanned through the medical records of 800 U.S. service members who took their own lives between 2002 and 2008, comparing those against the health files of 800 active-duty personnel who had not attempted suicide. The scientists found that service members with higher blood amounts of docosahexaenoic acid - an omega-3 fatty acid - were less likely to take their own lives. Should veterans who have considered suicide begin swallowing omega-3 pills on their own now? "Buying the omega-3s and taking them is not going to be a problem," Acierno said. "However, if they do have these types of thoughts or feelings, remember that even the people in this study – even those who are on the placebo – are getting mental health care. "So we never want to say this is a replacement for evidence-based mental health care," he added. "This is a supplement and one that is easily added. It's also important that you get the care you need." More content from NBCNews.com:
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10/08/2012
Military studies if fish oil can cut suicide risk suicides
Full statement from Jerry Sandusky maintaining innocence of sex-abuse charges
| By NBC News staff Following is the full transcript of former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky's statement Monday, which was recorded from his jail cell in Bellefonte, Pa., and aired on the Penn State student radio station: I'm responding to the worst loss of my life. First, I looked at myself. Over and over, I asked why? Why didn't we have a fair opportunity to prepare for trial? Sandusky, alleging broad conspiracy, insists he's innocent of child sex-abuse charges Why have so many people suffered as a result of false allegations? What's the purpose? Maybe it will help others. some vulnerable children who could be abused might not be because of all the publicity. That would be nice, but I'm not sure about it. I would cherish the opportunity to become a candle for others, as they have been a light for me. They can take away my life, they can make me out as a monster, they can treat me as a monster, but they can't take away my heart. In my heart, I know I did not do these alleged disgusting acts. My wife has been my only sex partner, and that was after marriage. Our love continues. A young man who was dramatic, a veteran accuser and always sought attention, started everything. He was joined by a well-orchestrated effort of the media, investigators, the system, Penn State, psychologists, civil attorneys and other accusers. They won. I've wondered what they really won: attention, financial gain, prestige — will all be temporary. Before you blame me, as others have, look at everything and everybody. Look at the preparation for the trial and the trial. Compare it to others. Think about what happened. Why, and who made it happen? Watch US News videos on NBCNews.com Evaluate the accusers and their families. Realize they didn't come out of isolation. The accusers were products of many more people and experiences than me. Look at their confidants and their honesty. Think about how easy it was for them to turn on me given the information, attention and potential perks. I never labeled or put down them or their families. I tried and I cared, then asked for the same. Please realize all came to the Second Mile because of issues. Some of those may remain. We will continue to fight. We didn't lose the proven facts, evidence, accurate locations and times. Anything can be said. We lost to speculation and stories that were influenced by people who wanted to convict me. We must fight unfairness and consistency and dishonesty. People need to be portrayed for who they really are. We've not been complainers. When we couldn't have kids, we adopted. When we didn't have time to prepare for a trial, we still gave it our best. We will fight for another chance. We have given many second chances, and now we'll ask for one. It will take more than our effort. Justice will have to be more than just a word, fairness more than just a dream. It will take others: somebody apolitical with the courage to listen, to think about the unfairness, to have the guts to stand up and take the road less traveled. I ask for the strength to handle everything and willingness to surrender only to God, regardless of the outcome. More content from NBCNews.com:
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Sandusky insists he's innocent, alleges conspiracy
| Joe Amendola, the attorney for Jerry Sandusky, says that his client is 'innocent.' WCAU's LuAnn Cahn reports. By Sevil Omer and M. Alex Johnson, NBC News New in this version: Statement from Sandusky Updated at 6:25 p.m. ET: Former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky insisted Monday that "I did not do these alleged disgusting acts" and blamed a systematic conspiracy among police, Penn State administrators and the media for his conviction on 45 counts of child sexual abuse. Tom Winter of NBC News and Lu Ann Cahn and Karen Araiza of NBC station WCAU-TV of Philadelphia contributed to this report by Sevil Omer and M. Aex Johnson of NBC News. "They can take away my life, they can make me out as a monster, they can treat me as a monster, but they can't take away my heart," Sandusky, 68, who is to be sentenced Tuesday, said in a three-minute statement recorded from his jail cell in Bellefonte, Pa., and aired on the Penn State student radio station. "My wife has been my only sex partner, and that was after marriage. Our love continues," Sandusky said. Sandusky said his accusers were part of a "well-orchestrated effort of the media, investigators, the system, Penn State, psychologists (and) civil attorneys" to falsely put him in prison. "Over and over, I asked why? Why didn't we have a fair opportunity to prepare for trial?" he said. "Why have so many people suffered as a result of false allegations?" Sandusky said he hoped his experience would help others, saying: "Some vulnerable children who could be abused might not be because of all the publicity. That would be nice, but I'm not sure about it." Earlier, Sandusky's lawyer said his client was prepared for the worst when he is sentenced on 45 counts of child sexual abuse Tuesday. "He's going to say that he's innocent," defense attorney Joe Amendola told NBCPhiladelphia. com. Sandusky, who had become a hometown hero as a Penn State coach and as a champion for underprivileged boys, was convicted in June of abusing 10 boys over 15 years, including some attacks inside Penn State's athletic facilities. Before the judge decides how much time Sandusky will spend in prison, some of his victims may speak out, as may Sandusky. View NBCPhiladelphia's complete coverage of Penn State scandal "Jerry will not be having anyone speak on his behalf," Amendola told NBC News on Monday before participating in a closed-door meeting with prosecutors and Judge John Cleland to discuss sentencing logistics. Sentencing is expected to begin with a hearing to determine whether Sandusky qualifies as a sexually violent predator under Pennsylvania's version of Megan's Law, after which Sandusky will be sentenced. Sandusky will likely spend the rest of his life in prison, given his age and the serious nature of his convictions. Several of the counts carry mandatory minimum sentences of five or 10 years. Amendola said Sandusky is prepared to hear the worst. "It's going to be tantamount to a life sentence for Jerry," Amendola told NBCPhiladelphia.com. Amendola told NBC News that he has letters defending Sandusky, including one from his wife, Dottie Sandusky, who stands by her husband and will attend the sentencing. Sandusky admits to no wrongdoing, Amendola said, but he does admit making a mistake. "What Jerry has always said, his mistake was using bad judgment and doing some of the things that led up to the accusations —getting showers with kids," Amendola told NBCPhiladelphia.com. "He said he should have realized, obviously, that wasn't the thing to do. But he's always maintained and still maintains his innocence." Sandusky has spent the last three months in a cell with a bed, a sink and a toilet. "It's a Spartan life. He's isolated," Amendola said. "Not because he's bad, not because they think he's a bad person, but for his own protection." Sandusky has been busy writing a detailed document that he is convinced will be the key to his appeal. Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy 'He was set up' Analysis: What to expect at Sandusky's sentencing Amendola said there were inconsistencies in the testimony from accusers that jurors simply ignored. "If Jerry Sandusky did all the things these young people said he did, he didn't have time to do anything else — he didn't have time to be a parent, he didn't have time to be an assistant coach at Penn State — my God, he was busy doing all these sexual activities with all these kids!" Sandusky is more than ready to be sentenced, Amendola said, because for them, the sentencing finally triggers the appeals process. The basis of their appeal will be that Sandusky was denied due process. Looking back, Amendola said he does have regrets — Sandusky should have testified, and his lawyers should have asked for an out-of-county jury. But the biggest regret was the interview with Bob Costas of NBC's "Rock Center." Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy When Sandusky walks into court Tuesday, he'll look different from the last time, when he was handcuffed after his guilty verdict and led away in his starched white shirt and brown sports coat. "You're going to see a guy who's lost some weight," Amendola said. "They may have him dressed in prison garb ... the bright orange. And he's lost weight. But he's feisty!" Ex-Penn State football aide McQueary files $4M whistleblower lawsuit Amendola said Sandusky's spirits are unbelievably high. "He really believes that he's going to be vindicated," Amendola said. "He really anticipates he's going to get another shot at this. More content from NBCNews.com:
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Obama creates monument to Cesar Chavez
Cesar Chavez was born near Yuma, Arizona, in 1927. 
In 1962, Chavez founded the National Farm Workers Association, which grew into the United Farm Workers. 
On behalf of his group, Chavez talks with grape pickers during a national boycott of California grapes in 1965. 
Robert F. Kennedy sits next to Chavez, very weak after a prolonged hunger strike, in March 1968 during a rally in support of the United Farm Workers in Delano, California. 
An estimated 25,000 mourners accompany Chavez's pine casket through farmlands to his funeral Mass in Delano, California, on April 29, 1993. 
Chavez was given a Medal of Freedom a year after he died by President Bill Clinton. 
Obama names Cesar Chavez home national monument
 Carolyn Kaster / AP President Barack Obama walks with Cesar Chavez' widow Helen F. Chavez, left, and Dolores Huerta, Co-Founder of the United Farm Workers, as they tour the Cesar E. Chavez National Monument Memorial Garden on Monday. By NBC's Ali Weinberg KEENE, Calif. – Taking a break from fundraising in California, President Barack Obama traveled to this vast, rural Northern California reserve to designate the home of Cesar Chavez a national monument. The National Chavez Center at La Paz, where labor leader Cesar Chavez lived and organized the first successful farm workers union, is now recognized by the federal government as a national monument. "Today, La Paz joins a long line of national monuments – stretching from the Statue of Liberty to the Grand Canyon – monuments that tell the story of who we are as Americans," the president said, surrounded by rolling hills and brush as he addressed an outdoor audience of 6,600. The designation means that the site, which contains Chavez's carefully preserved office and a memorial garden with his grave, will be tended to by the Department of the Interior, which is charged with coming up with a management plan for the site within three years of the designation. President Obama commemorated labor leader Cesar Chavez Monday by designating his home a national monument. During his remarks President Obama praised Chavez as a leader who was able to galvanize a movement in the 1970's for the rights of an underrepresented group: Latino farm workers. Chavez was the head of the United Farm Workers of America whose motto was "Si, se puede," which inspired Obama's own 2008 campaign motto, "Yes, we can." Chavez's work also inspired Obama when he was a young community organizer in Chicago. Chavez died in 1993; he was 66. "It was a time of great change in America but too often that change was only expressed in terms of war and peace, black and white, young and old," Obama said. "No one seemed to care about the invisible farm workers who picked the nation's food, bent down in the beating son, living in poverty, cheated by growers, abandoned in old age, unable to demand even the most basic rights. "But Cesar cared," he continued. "And in his peaceful, eloquent way, he made other people care too." Later Monday, the president planned to return to the campaign trail to raise money in San Francisco. More content from NBCNews.com:
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Former cop gets life sentence for raping woman
| By NBC News staff  Courtesy Houston Police Department Ex-Houston-cop Abraham Joseph was sentenced to life in prison Monday, for kidnapping and raping a woman while on duty in 2011. A former Houston police officer was sentenced to life in prison Monday for raping a woman he abducted while on duty. Houston NBC affiliate KPRC reported that 29-year-old Abraham Joseph was found guilty on Thursday of two counts of aggravated sexual assault. While on duty in January 2011, a uniformed Joseph abducted a waitress outside a Houston-area nightclub, handcuffed her, drove her away and raped her in a park, KPRC reported. Joseph was fired from the Houston Police Department in 2011, after he was indicted for the crime, according to Houston radio station News 92 FM. Joseph shook his head and began to cry when the judge affirmed the verdict, the Houston Chronicle reported. Prosecutors said the victim was courageous in coming forward and taking the stand for three days to testify, according to the Chronicle. During closing arguments, prosecutors told the jury that Joseph used his authority to intimidate several women, KPRC reported. Three other women took the stand during the sentencing phase to talk about their alleged sexual attacks, the Chronicle reported. Watch US News crime videos on NBCNews.com "Truth of the matter is you have been sitting in the courtroom for a month with a serial rapist. I hope that's an experience you never have again," prosecutor Heyward Carter told the jury, according to KPRC. Joseph's defense attorney insisted the sexual encounters were consensual, the Chronicle reported. He will be eligible for parole after 30 years, according to the newspaper. The Houston Police Department declined to comment Monday, saying they don't comment on verdicts or sentences by juries. More content from NBCNews.com:
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Sandusky prepares for worst, his lawyer says
| Joe Amendola, the attorney for Jerry Sandusky, says that his client is 'innocent.' WCAU's LuAnn Cahn reports. By NBC News staff Jerry Sandusky, the former Penn State assistant football coach, is prepared for the worst and will assert his innocence before a judge when he is sentenced on 45 counts of child sexual abuse on Tuesday, his lawyer said. "He's going to say that he's innocent," defense attorney Joe Amendola told NBCPhiladelphia. com. Sandusky, who had become a hometown hero as a Penn State coach and as a champion for underprivileged boys, was convicted in June of abusing 10 boys over a span of 15 years, including some attacks inside Penn State's athletic facilities. Before the judge decides how much time Sandusky will spend in prison, some of his victims may speak out, as may Sandusky. View NBCPhiladelphia's complete coverage of Penn State scandal "Jerry will not be having anyone speak on his behalf," Amendola told NBC News on Monday before participating in a closed-door meeting with prosecutors and Judge John Cleland to discuss sentencing logistics. Sentencing is expected to begin with a hearing to determine if Sandusky qualifies as a sexually violent predator under Pennsylvania's version of Megan's Law, after which Sandusky will be sentenced. The 68-year-old Sandusky will likely spend the rest of his life in prison, given his age and serious nature of his convictions. Several of the counts carry mandatory minimum sentences of five or 10 years. Amendola said Sandusky is prepared to hear the worst. "It's going to be tantamount to a life sentence for Jerry," Amendola told NBCPhiladelphia.com. Amendola told NBC News he has letters defending Sanduksy, including one from his wife, Dottie Sandusky, who stands by her husband and will attend the sentencing. Sandusky admits to no wrongdoing, Amendola said, but he does admit making a mistake. "What Jerry has always said, his mistake was using bad judgment and doing some of the things that led up to the accusations -- getting showers with kids," Amendola told NBCPhiladelphia.com. "He said he should have realized, obviously, that wasn't the thing to do. But he's always maintained and still maintains his innocence." Sandusky has spent the last three months in a cell with a bed, sink and toilet. "It's a Spartan life. He's isolated," Amendola said. "Not because he's bad, not because they think he's a bad person, but for his own protection." Sandusky has been busy writing a detailed document that he is convinced will be the key to his appeal. Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy 'He was set up' Analysis: What to expect at Sandusky's sentencing Amendola says there were inconsistencies in the testimony from accusers that jurors simply ignored. "If Jerry Sandusky did all the things these young people said he did, he didn't have time to do anything else – he didn't have time to be a parent, he didn't have time to be an assistant coach at Penn State – my God, he was busy doing all these sexual activities with all these kids!" Sandusky is more than ready to be sentenced, Amendola explained, because for them, the sentencing finally triggers the appeals process. The basis of their appeal will be that Sandusky was denied due process. Looking back, Amendola said he does have regrets -- Sandusky should have testified and they should have asked for an out-of-county jury. But the biggest regret was the interview with Bob Costas. Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy When Sandusky walks into court on Tuesday, he'll look different than the last time, when he was handcuffed after his guilty verdict and led away in his starched white shirt and brown sports coat. "You're gonna see a guy who's lost some weight," Amendola said. "They may have him dressed in prison garb ... the bright orange. And he's lost weight. But he's feisty!" Ex-Penn State football aide McQueary files $4M whistleblower lawsuit Amendola said Sandusky's spirits are unbelievably high. "He really believes that he's going to be vindicated," Amendola said. "He really anticipates he's going to get another shot at this." NBC10Philadelphia's Karen Araiza and NBC News's Tom Winter and Sevil Omer contributed to this report. More content from NBCNews.com:
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