[h=3]By TAMARA AUDI[/h]Former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, who was shot in the head during a mass shooting in Arizona last year, on Tuesday said she supports a possible plea deal for the accused gunman that would keep him in prison for life.
"Gabby and I have been in contact with the US Attorneys' Office throughout this process. We don't speak for all of the victims or their families, but Gabby and I are satisfied with this plea agreement," Ms. Giffords husband, astronaut Mark Kelly, said in a statement emailed to the Wall Street Journal.
"The pain and loss caused by the events of January 8, 2011 are incalculable. Avoiding a trial will allow us—and we hope the whole Southern Arizona community—to continue with our recovery and move forward with our lives," the statement said.
The statement came hours before accused Tucson shooter Jared Loughner is expected to plead guilty in exchange for a life sentence.
A federal judge had declared Mr. Loughner incompetent to stand trial, but the judge would have to find him mentally fit to plead guilty for the plea arrangement to go through.
Other victims of the shooting also have said they support the plea deal, which spares Mr. Loughner the death sentence.
Mr. Loughner is charged with 49 counts of murder and attempted murder in connection with the January 2011 shootings. Six people were killed and 13 were wounded, including Ms. Giffords.
Ms. Giffords recently resigned from Congress to focus on her recovery. A former aide, Ron Barber, was elected in a special vote this year to succeed her. Mr. Barber also was wounded in the shooting.
Write to Tamara Audi at [email protected]
"Gabby and I have been in contact with the US Attorneys' Office throughout this process. We don't speak for all of the victims or their families, but Gabby and I are satisfied with this plea agreement," Ms. Giffords husband, astronaut Mark Kelly, said in a statement emailed to the Wall Street Journal.
"The pain and loss caused by the events of January 8, 2011 are incalculable. Avoiding a trial will allow us—and we hope the whole Southern Arizona community—to continue with our recovery and move forward with our lives," the statement said.
The statement came hours before accused Tucson shooter Jared Loughner is expected to plead guilty in exchange for a life sentence.
A federal judge had declared Mr. Loughner incompetent to stand trial, but the judge would have to find him mentally fit to plead guilty for the plea arrangement to go through.
Other victims of the shooting also have said they support the plea deal, which spares Mr. Loughner the death sentence.
Mr. Loughner is charged with 49 counts of murder and attempted murder in connection with the January 2011 shootings. Six people were killed and 13 were wounded, including Ms. Giffords.
Ms. Giffords recently resigned from Congress to focus on her recovery. A former aide, Ron Barber, was elected in a special vote this year to succeed her. Mr. Barber also was wounded in the shooting.
Write to Tamara Audi at [email protected]