Man Who Shot Rep. Giffords, Killed Chief Judge Roll & 5 Others Is Sentenced to Life in Prison
The Arizona man who admitted going on a shooting rampage in January 2011 that left Chief U.S. District Judge John Roll and five others dead and seriously wounded U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords was sentenced to life in prison Thursday.
After hearing from victims, U.S. District Judge Larry Burns sentenced Jared Lee Loughner, 24, to life without the possibility of parole. The sentence was part of a plea agreement Loughner reached with federal prosecutors last month.
The Arizona Republic and Washington Post recounted the victims’ heartbreaking remarks.
The Republic quoted Mavy Stoddard, whose husband Dorwan was shot and died in her arms. She told Loughner, “Jared, you ruined my whole life.”
“You took away my life … And my reason for living,” she continued. “And you did this because you wanted to.”
Stoddard then told Loughner that she forgave him.
The publications noted that Loughner showed no emotion and declined to speak at the sentencing hearing.
The Post reports that Pima County prosecutors are still considering whether to file state charges and seek the death penalty against Loughner.
