Jared Lee Loughner pleaded guilty today in federal district court to charges stemming from the January 8, 2011 shooting outside a supermarket that killed six people and wounded 13 others. Under the terms of the plea agreement, Loughner will be sentenced to life in prison with no eligibility for parole.
According to the plea agreement, on January 8, 2011 Loughner showed up at Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords’ “Congress on Your Corner” event outside the Safeway grocery store in Tucson armed with a loaded semi-automatic pistol and carrying three additional magazines containing 60 rounds of ammunition with the intent of killing Congresswoman Giffords and others attending her community event.
Shortly after arriving at the event that Saturday morning, Loughner shot Congresswoman Giffords in the head, and then shot several other people who were in attendance. As a result of the shooting, six individuals were killed and 13 people, including Congresswoman Giffords were injured, some seriously.
Through a plea agreement, Loughner pleaded guilty to 19 counts of the superseding indictment handed down March 3, 2011, consisting of the following crimes:
• The attempted assassination of U.S. Congresswoman Gabrielle D. Giffords;
•The murders of federal employees U.S. District Court Chief Judge John M. Roll and Congressional Aide Gabriel M. Zimmerman;
•The attempted murders of federal employees and Congressional Aides Ronald S. Barber and Pamela K. Simon;
•Causing the deaths of Christina-Taylor Green, Dorothy J. Morris, Phyllis C. Schneck, and Dorwan C. Stoddard, all of whom were participants at an activity provided by the United States;
•Injuring through the use of a Glock pistol Bill D. Badger, Kenneth W. Dorushka, James E. Fuller, Randy W. Gardner, Susan A. Hileman, George S. Morris, Mary C. Reed, Mavanell Stoddard, James L. Tucker, and Kenneth L. Veeder, Sr., all of whom were participants at an activity provided by the United States;
Loughner also admitted that in committing these offenses, he knowingly created a grave risk of death to:
Carol A. Dorushka, Robert C. Gawlick, Daniel Hernandez, Mark S. Kimble, Patricia R. Maisch, Emma E. McMahon, Owen A. McMahon, Thomas J. McMahon, Sara M. Rajca, Faith M. Salzgeber, Roger D. Salzgeber, Doris Tucker and Alexander J. Villec.
Under the terms of the plea agreement, Loughner will be sentenced to seven consecutive life sentences, followed by 140 years in prison, as follows:
• Loughner will be sentenced to a term of life in prison for each of the following crimes:
• The attempted assassination of Congresswoman Gabrielle D. Giffords;
• The murders of federal employees U.S. District Court Chief Judge John M. Roll and
• Congressional Aide Gabriel M. Zimmerman; and
Causing the deaths of Christina-Taylor Green, Dorothy J. Morris, Phyllis C. Shneck, and Dorwan C. Stoddard, all of whom were participants at an activity provided by the United States.
Loughner will also be sentenced to the maximum term of 20 years in prison for each of the attempted murders of Congressional Aides Ronald S. Barber and Pamela K. Simon.
Finally, Loughner will be sentenced to the maximum term of 10 years in prison for injuring through the use of a Glock pistol each of the following:
• Bill D. Badger;
• Kenneth W. Dorushka;
• James E. Fuller;
• Randy W. Gardner;
• Susan A. Hileman;
• George S. Morris;
• Mary C. Reed;
• Mavanell Stoddard;
• James L. Tucker; and
• Kenneth L. Veeder, Sr.
Convictions for the attempted assassination of a member of Congress, the murder of a federal employee, and causing the death of a participant in a federally-provided activity each carry a maximum sentence of life in prison (or death in the case of murder), a $250,000 fine or both. A conviction for the attempted murder of a federal employee carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both. A conviction for injuring a participant in a federally provided activity carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both.
Sentencing is set before Judge Burns on November 15, 2012, at 10:00 am in Tucson.
Many of Loughner’s victims wanted to avoid a trial and the pain of remembering that day. Former Congresswoman Giffords released a statement saying she was satisfied with the plea agreement.