Tucson shooter Jared Loughner sentenced to 7 consecutive life terms

[azmouse]

Quote:TUCSON - U.S. District Judge Larry Burns on Thursday sentenced Tucson shooter Jared Loughner to seven consecutive life terms plus 140 years, calling the sentence “astronomical” and “justified” because Loughner “knew what he was doing” when he killed six and wounded 13 at a 2011 congressional event sponsored by then-U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords.<...>

The hearing included testimony from Loughner’s victims, several of whom faced him to address him directly. Suzi Hileman, who was shot while shielding a 9-year-old friend she had taken to Giffords’ event, told her assailant: “I wanted to take you by the shoulders and shake you and scream at you, as if that would help.”

Commander Mark Kelly, Giffords’ husband and a former astronaut, accompanied his wife to the podium. Giffords, clad in a green blouse and sporting shoulder-length blonde hair, did not speak. It was Kelly who addressed Loughner about the morning of Jan. 8, 2011, when Giffords was shot in the head. She survived but eventually resigned her seat because of her injury.

“Mr. Loughner: For the first and last time, you are going to hear from Gabby and me ... so pay attention,” Kelly began. “You may have put a bullet in her head but you haven’t put a dent in her spirit or her commitment to make the world a better place.”

“You tried to create a world as dark and evil as your own,” he said. “Remember this: You failed.”

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2...oting.html

It's no surprise that he'll never be a free man again. There is some justice in this world.

[sandnsea]

I'm against the death penalty anyway - but curious as to why it wasn't asked for in this case.

[azmouse]

(11-08-2012 05:13 PM)sandnsea Wrote:  I'm against the death penalty anyway - but curious as to why it wasn't asked for in this case.

Here's an answer:

from http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2012/11/08/vic...nt-page-5/


As part of a plea deal with the government, Loughner, 24, pleaded guilty in August to 19 charges in exchange for the sentence to avoid facing the death penalty.

Loughner had been facing more than 50 federal charges, and the remaining offenses were dropped in exchange for the guilty pleas if Loughner is sentenced within the terms of the plea agreement, according to a written agreement filed in court.

Prosecutors agreed to the plea deal after taking into account Loughner's history of mental illness and the views of victims and their families. The judge in August ruled Loughner competent to stand trial.

Kelly said after the plea deal that he and his wife were satisfied with the agreement.

[sandnsea]

(11-08-2012 05:18 PM)azmouse Wrote:  

(11-08-2012 05:13 PM)sandnsea Wrote:  I'm against the death penalty anyway - but curious as to why it wasn't asked for in this case.

Here's an answer:

from http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2012/11/08/vic...nt-page-5/


As part of a plea deal with the government, Loughner, 24, pleaded guilty in August to 19 charges in exchange for the sentence to avoid facing the death penalty.

Loughner had been facing more than 50 federal charges, and the remaining offenses were dropped in exchange for the guilty pleas if Loughner is sentenced within the terms of the plea agreement, according to a written agreement filed in court.

Prosecutors agreed to the plea deal after taking into account Loughner's history of mental illness and the views of victims and their families. The judge in August ruled Loughner competent to stand trial.

Kelly said after the plea deal that he and his wife were satisfied with the agreement.

Thank you. Sounds very good. I like when our justice system works correctly.

[jaxx]

Fitting that he'll be imprisoned for 7 lifetimes +140 years. Anything less would not pay for the 6 lives he took and the 1 he tried to destroy.