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Jared Lee Loughner to be sentenced as Giffords attends Gabrielle Giffords faces Tucson gunman Loughner in court
(about 1 hour 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. Ex-congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords has attended court to see the gunman who shot her in the US state of Arizona last year 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. Jared Lee Loughner shot Ms Giffords in the head and killed six others.
Loughner, 24, pleaded guilty to 19 criminal counts in August in a deal to spare him the death penalty. Ms Giffords attended the hearing with her husband, Mark Kelly, who spoke to Loughner directly and told him that the shooting had changed his wife's life but had not dented her spirit.
It is the first time he has faced his victims in court. Loughner pleaded guilty to 19 counts in a deal to spare him the death penalty.
Loughner, wearing trousers, a dark brown shirt and a tie, declined to speak at Thursday's hearing. He is expected to spend the rest of his life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Thirteen people were injured in the January 2011 shooting in Tucson. It was the first time Loughner, who did not speak at Thursday's hearing, had faced his victims in court.
Under the plea deal, he is expected to spend the rest of his life in prison without possibility of parole. Mr Kelly said: "You may have put a bullet through her head, but you haven't put a dent in her spirit and commitment to make the world a better place.
Court-appointed experts said Loughner suffered from schizophrenia and delusions. "Although you were mentally ill, you were responsible. You have decades upon decades to contemplate what you did, but from this moment, Gabby and I are done thinking about you."
In May 2011, his case was put on hold as he was deemed unfit to stand trial after disrupting court proceedings. In addition to the six fatalities, a total of 13 people were wounded in the January 2011 shooting at an outdoor political meeting in Tucson.
But that ruling was reversed following more than a year of treatment for Loughner at a US prison. Earlier, court-appointed experts said Loughner suffered from schizophrenia and delusions.
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. In May 2011, his case was put on hold as he was deemed unfit to stand trial.
But that ruling was reversed after Loughner went through more than a year of treatment in prison.
Among those due to address the Tucson hearing are Suzi Hileman, who was shot three times while trying to save her nine-year-old neighbour.
"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. Mavy Stoddard, whose husband died shielding her from bullets, was also scheduled to speak.
Her former aide, Ron Barber, also wounded in the attack, served out the rest of her term after winning a special election. Ms Giffords resigned from Congress in January 2012 to focus on her recovery.
He is also due to address Thursday's hearing. 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.
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 full result has yet to be announced.