Jared L. Loughner will spend the rest of his life in prison.
Loughner reached a plea bargain with prosecutors and plead guilty yesterday to killing 6 people and wounding 13 others, including former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, in January of 2010 at an Arizona political rally.
Although the plea brought a sudden resolution to a case that had seemed threatened by the existence of Loughner’s mental state, it left some wondering why prosecutors didn’t seek the death penalty.
According to reports, multiple psychiatrists who examined Loughner believed his poor mental state would have jeopardized a jury trial. Had prosecutors sought the death penalty, a jury could have found Loughner guilty by reason of insanity, which would have sent him to a mental institution until he was determined cured. Prosecutors didn’t want to risk an early release and felt the plea bargain assured that Loughner would remain behind bars for the rest of his life.
Mark Kelly, the husband of Gabrielle Giffords, issued the following statement on behalf of he and his wife:
“We don’t speak for all of the victims or their families, but Gabby and I are satisfied with this plea arrangement. 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.”
<span><span>He's going to be locked up for the rest of his life. That's a good thing. </span></span><span><span></span></span><span><span></span><span>But the REAL tragedy here is that this seriously mentally-ill man was allowed easy access to GUNS and then shot 19 people, killing 6 of them and crtically wounding others BEFORE he recieved the attention and care he so desperately needed. THAT should be unacceptable to Us as a society! </span></span><span><span></span></span><span><span></span><span>As per the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)…</span></span><span><span></span></span><span><span></span><span><span>For NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, what happened in Tucson is all too familiar. Even during the the best of economic times, youth and adults living with mental illness struggle to access essential mental health services and supports. Services are often unavailable or inaccessible for those who need them the most. </span></span></span><span><span><span></span></span></span><span><span><span></span></span><span><span>One in 17 people in America lives with a serious mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, major depression, or bipolar disorder. </span></span></span><span><span><span></span></span></span><span><span><span>About one in 10 children live with a serious mental disorder. […]</span> </span> <span></span> <span>Read "State Mental Health Cuts:… Read more »