Free Republic

Federal Judge John Roll was killed in Tucson trying to save another man’s life. As soon as madman Jared Lee Loughner finished his attempt to murder Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, he turned his gun on the people to his left, then the people to his right. Recently released video shows his first target to the right was Ron Barber, Gifford’s district director, who was standing next to Justice John Roll. Barber was shot in the arm. Judge Roll then pushed him down and, shielding Barber with his own body, steered him to shelter under a nearby table. While under the table,...

Cameras rolled as suspect Jared Loughner allegedly fired all 31 bullets in the clip of his Glock, plus another round that was already in the chamber, at a supermarket in Tucson, Ariz., on Jan. 8. At the outset of the melee, unidentified sources who have seen the video tell the Washington Post, Loughner walked straight up to congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and shot her above the left eye from about two or three feet away. Within moments, Loughner also allegedly shot Chief Arizona U.S. District Judge John Roll, who had tried to take cover under a table. As Roll did so,...

Perhaps the most surprising thing about the American Left’s effort to transform the January 8 Tucson massacre from a tragic attack into an indictment of the American Right is how easily their charges crumbled. Had the so-called “Paper of Record,” Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and other politicians and pundits let Americans mourn this tragic atrocity over last weekend, enough facts about alleged gunman Jared Lee Loughner might have emerged to dissuade hyperventilating liberals from climbing so far out onto the thin branch that swiftly snapped right under them. “We don’t have proof yet that this was political,” writer Paul...

Conservative talk radio host Mark Levin said he would file a lawsuit against anyone in the media who tries to link him to the shootings in Arizona, as Chris Matthews did earlier in the week. On MSNBC’s “Hardball” Tuesday night, Matthews essentially blamed Levin and talk radio host Michael Savage for creating a climate of hate that led to the Tucson shootings that killed six and injured 13, including Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. On Wednesday, Levin — an attorney — told his listeners: “I’m waiting for an allegation that is very specific against me because I’m going to sue. I don’t...

Pundits and politicians alike praised President Obama's speech at the Tucson memorial service last Wednesday. "A wonderful speech," wrote the New York Times' David Brooks. "A magnificent performance," wrote National Review's Rich Lowry.  "A terrific speech," wrote Sen. John McCain. And those were just the voices on the right. Obama's tribute to the victims of the shooting and the heroism of bystanders was appreciated by everyone.  But many conservatives particularly admired the speech because the president took care to say, in clear terms, that political rhetoric did not cause the violence in Tucson.  "It did not," Obama said flatly.  After...

The presiding federal judge in Arizona wants permission to delay bringing felons to trial. John Roll said Tuesday that Congress has essentially flooded the state with lots of new Border Patrol agents and added prosecutors to bring charges. The result, he told Capitol Media Services, is a record number of felony cases being filed. But Roll said the state is stuck with the same 13 authorized judges it has had for years. "We've reached a choke point," he said. Roll said the situation is particularly acute in Southern Arizona, where there are just five judges assigned. In actuality, there are...

A Pima County Sheriff's spokesman said the suspect was 22 years old and had one prior minor run-in with the law as an adult. The spokesman said they are investigating whether someone else was involved. Ms. Giffords' colleagues condemned the attack, with new House Speaker John A. Boehner saying "an attack on one who serves is an attack on all who serve." "Acts and threats of violence against public officials have no place in our society," Mr. Boehner said in a statement Saturday afternoon. "Our prayers are with Congresswoman Giffords, her staff, all who were injured, and their families. This...