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Survivor's confront Loughner in court

Posted: Nov 8, 2012 5:50 PM
Updated: Nov 8, 2012 5:50 PM


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TUCSON - Survivors of the January 8 shootings, including Gabrielle Giffords faced Jared Loughner, the man who tried to kill them nearly two years ago at a northwest side shopping center, in court Thursday.

Jared Lee Loughner pleaded guilty to killing six people, and wounding 13 others, including former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords.

U.S. District Judge Larry A. Burns sentenced Loughner to seven consecutive life terms plus 140 years.

Inside the federal courthouse downtown, seven people spoke, some of them directing their comments directly toward Loughner.

It was the first time Mark Kelly had been in the same room with the man who tried to assassinate his wife, Gabby Giffords.

Kelly looked at Loughner and said, "Gabby would trade her own life to save those you savagely murdered that day."

"You may have put a bullet through her head but you haven't put a dent in her spirit and commitment," Kelly said.

Kelly looked directly at the man who tried to assassinate his wife.

"You have decades upon decades to contemplate what you did, but after today, Gabby and I are done thinking about you," Kelly said.

Mavi Stoddard addressed Loughner. She was shot three times, and her husband, Darwin, died protecting her from the bullets.

"I told him he destroyed my life because Dori was my life," Stoddard said.

"I wanted him to know how much he destroyed in 20 minutes, not just one family, but everybody else's. I did want him to realize that I forgive him," Stoddard said.

Suzi Heliman took nine-year-old Christina Taylor Green to meet Congresswoman Giffords that day, and was shot three times.

"For 22 months I wanted to take him by the shoulders and scream at him, and now was my chance to do it," Hellman said.

"I was hoping this would make me feel better, this chapter is over," Hellman said, "I'm still limping, I'm still missing Christina."

Mary Reed, who was shot shielding her daughter from Loughner's bullets, read her statement.

"You turned a civics lesson into a nightmare my children will never forget," Reed said.

"The smell, sounds of that horrible day, bloodied body, dying people, bullets everywhere. You've ended my children's sense of safety," Reed said.

Pam Simon, who was shot in the chest while working for Congresswoman Giffords, said, "It is my hope your parents find peace, find hope, and you find meaning each day of your life."

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