Anybody following the story of Amy Bishop?  She's the Alabama professor accused of killing three colleagues and wounding three others in a shooting rampage during a faculty meeting last Friday. 

We continue to learn more about her and it's not good.  According to the Associated Press, relatives of victims in last week's shooting are questioning whether much of the violence could've been prevented if an earlier case involving Bishop had been handled properly.  What they're referring to is the fact that she shot and killed her teenage brother in 1986.  The shooting at the time was ruled an accident and Bishop was never charged.  However, it has come to light that when police tracked down Bishop on the day she shot her brother, she was crouching behind a parked car, carrying a shotgun at waist level with one round in the chamber and a second in her pocket.  The details come from police reports released this week, as law enforcement officials said there was probable cause to file weapons charges and assault charges against her at the time of the shooting at the family's home in Braintree, Massachusetts.

Bishop's past encounters with the law have also included charges in 2002 for a fight at an International House of Pancakes in Peabody, Mass.  Authorities said Bishop became incensed when she found out another woman had received the restaurant's last booster seat.  Bishop hit the woman while shouting, "I am Dr. Amy Bishop," according to the police report.  Bishop admitted to the assault in court, and the case was adjudicated - meaning the charges were eventually dismissed.

Bishop was also questioned in an attempted pipe bombing in 1993.

And today we learn that University of Alabama students went to school administrators at least three times, complaining Bishop was ineffective in the classroom and had odd, unsettling ways.  A petition signed by dozens of students was sent to the department head.  But students said the complaints made a year ago didn't result in any changes in the classroom.

 Many - including me - are now wondering how in the world this woman was hired by the university in 2003 after being involved in so many criminal investigations.  But  university president David Williams said a review of her personnal file and her hiring file raised NO RED FLAGS!  And here's the kicker.  Williams said police ran a criminal background check Monday after she was charged with one count of capital murder and three counts of attempted murder.  Williams said, "Even now, nothing came up."  HUH?  Houston, we have a problem!