Article says Federal Judge Roll may have been the actual target

[Kaleva]

"Federal Judge John Roll had recieved death threats

In one afternoon, Roll logged more than 200 phone calls. Callers threatened the judge and his family. They posted personal information about Roll online.
"They said, 'We should kill him. He should be dead,' " Gonzales said.

Both Roll and his wife were given a U.S. Marshals Service protection detail at the time."

http://liberalforum.org/liberalforum/index.php?/topic/97867-was-congresswoman-giffords-the-real-target/

[tabatha]

1. Nope, Roll just went there without it being planned.

[stray cat]

5. Do you think assassins have to have a written schedule that is posted?

It seems like the target was anyone at the event ie the congresswoman but the lack of a planned even is not definitive

[WinkyDink]

10. He could not have possibly expected the judge to be there.

[MrsBrady]

2. an eye witness said the shooter asked specifically for the congresswoman

http://azstarnet.com/news/local/crime/article_76bc3c24-1b79-11e0-b748-001cc4c002e0.html

[Duer 157099]

3. The sheriff said they ALL receive death threats, regularly

and that the judge was not scheduled to appear there but just showed up.

[timber84]

4. Umm if you'd watch ANY news or read any he stopped by the event

at the last moment. So I guess the shooter has ESP, huh?

[undeterred]

6. Well how did the shooter know he was going to be there?

And why did the shooter shoot the Congresswoman first?

And when you shoot 19 people what is the process by which another person determines which one is the "actual" target anyway?

[Angry Dragon]

7. Poor reporting

[tblue37]

8. No--the shooter *specifically* asked to see the congresswoman. nt

[Lint Head]

9. Then why was the Congresswoman shot point blank in the head first?

Those are the facts as we know them. The shooter actually said "Hi." to her just before shooting.

[riverwalker]

11. the eyewitness says shooter was specifically after Gifford

The Judge was not even scheduled to be there, just stopped by.

[Statistical]

12. Unlikely for 5 reasons

1) Congresswoman was shot first (usually a good indication of primary target unless first person shot is security/armed)
2) The shooter asked about the Cognresswoman
3) The shooter shot Congresswoman at point blank range indicating an intent to ensure that attack would be successful
4) The judge wasn't scheduled to be at the event.
5) This was a publicized event. Someone looking for the Congresswoman (good or bad) would know they could find her there.

On edit: added 5th reason.

[fishwax]

13. good reasons n/t

[Kaleva]

15. Good reasons why it is unlikely the Judge was the primary target.

Posted the excerpts and link to the article because I thought it to be interesting and maybe others here would find it so.

[aquart]

14. Wasn't that two years ago?

[Ilsa]

16. I bet he didn't even know that he was a judge. nt

[mentalsolstice]

17. It was an assassination, no matter how "they" want to script it. nt