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Jared Lee Loughner to be sentenced as Giffords attends | Jared Lee Loughner to be sentenced as Giffords attends |
(35 minutes later) | |
Jared Lee Loughner, who shot former US congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords in Arizona and killed six others, is about to be sentenced to life in prison. | |
Among several victims at the hearing in Tucson are Ms Giffords and her husband, Mark Kelly, who is expected to speak on her behalf. | |
Loughner, 24, pleaded guilty to 19 criminal counts in August in a deal to spare him the death penalty. | Loughner, 24, pleaded guilty to 19 criminal counts in August in a deal to spare him the death penalty. |
It is the first time he has faced his victims in court. | |
Loughner, wearing trousers, a dark brown shirt and a tie, declined to speak at Thursday's hearing. | |
Thirteen people were injured in the January 2011 shooting in Tucson. | Thirteen people were injured in the January 2011 shooting in Tucson. |
Under the plea deal, he is expected to spend the rest of his life in prison without possibility of parole. | Under the plea deal, he is expected to spend the rest of his life in prison without possibility of parole. |
Court-appointed experts said Loughner suffered from schizophrenia and delusions. | Court-appointed experts said Loughner suffered from schizophrenia and delusions. |
In May 2011, his case was put on hold as he was deemed unfit to stand trial after disrupting court proceedings. | |
But that ruling was reversed following more than a year of treatment for Loughner at a US prison. | |
Among those who plan to address the Tucson hearing are Suzi Hileman, who was shot three times while trying to save her nine-year-old neighbour, and Mavy Stoddard, whose husband died shielding her from bullets. | |
"He has to pay the consequences for what he did, and justice will be served," Ms Hileman told the Associated Press news agency. | "He has to pay the consequences for what he did, and justice will be served," Ms Hileman told the Associated Press news agency. |
Gabrielle Giffords resigned from Congress in January 2012 to focus on her recovery. | Gabrielle Giffords resigned from Congress in January 2012 to focus on her recovery. |
Her former aide, Ron Barber, also wounded in the attack, served out the rest of her term after winning a special election. | Her former aide, Ron Barber, also wounded in the attack, served out the rest of her term after winning a special election. |
He is also due to address Thursday's hearing. | He is also due to address Thursday's hearing. |
On Tuesday, Mr Barber ran in the election for a newly created congressional district in Arizona. | On Tuesday, Mr Barber ran in the election for a newly created congressional district in Arizona. |
The outcome of his close race with Republican Martha McSally hangs on some 80,000 provisional and early votes yet to be tallied. | The outcome of his close race with Republican Martha McSally hangs on some 80,000 provisional and early votes yet to be tallied. |