Tucson Surveillance Video Shows Judge John Roll Died Saving A Life.

[sabrina 1]

Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik described Judge John Roll this way after he lost his life in the Tucson tragedy:

Judge John Roll Among Dead in Ariz. Shooting

"I have never met a more sincere ... fair minded, brilliant federal judge or any judge for that matter in my whole life," Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik said.

Dupnik emotionally recounted Roll's final morning. A typical Saturday: a trip to church, then to the store and most likely a plan to go home to help with chores. But before heading home, he apparently stopped to visit briefly with Giffords at an event she was holding for constituents.

"Unfortunately, he was in the wrong place at the wrong time," Dupnik said.

Now it seems that Judge John Roll died a hero.



Video Captured ‘Calculated’ Gunman in Tucson

Mr. Kastigar said Tuesday that the video shows Ms. Giffords standing with her back a few inches from a wall when she was shot by the gunman, who approached in “a hurried fashion” with the gun at his side and then raised it and fired a single bullet above her eye at a range of no more than two or three feet.

.....

Describing the video, Mr. Kastigar said the judge was “intentionally trying to help Mr. Barber,” adding, “It’s very clear to me the judge was thinking of his fellow human more than himself.”

The judge guides Mr. Barber to the ground, shields him with his body, and then tries to push himself and Mr. Barber away from the gunman, who was no more than three to four feet away as he fired, Mr. Kastigar said.

“He pushes Mr. Barber with his right hand and guides him with his left hand. The judge was on top of him and is covering up Mr. Barber, literally lying on top of him, and his back was exposed,” Mr. Kastigar said.

The judge was shot in the back.

The video apparently recorded the shooting of Rep. Giffords, Judge Roll and Ronald Barber. Video from inside the store shows Jared Loughner in the Supermarket where he went to get change of a $20.00 for the cab driver, before he went outside and began shooting.

There were a lot of heroes that day. Had this video not recorded the tragic events, we might not have known about Judge Roll's final act of heroism.

He left a wife, three sons and a five grand-children. I am sure they will always remember him with great pride.

[patrice]

1. A light and a leader to his community & the love of his family. Such a profound loss!!

:cry:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. Now, there was a man...

Recommended, and off to the Greatest Page...

[malaise]

6. +1,000

There are lots of good people around.

[sabrina 1]

9. There are. More good than bad. We just hear more from

those who behave badly. But on that day there wer so many good people who were brave and even willing to risk their lives to protect others.

I am glad we learned about the judge's last act of courage. The man he saved was obviously not meant to die that day. Another woman helped keep him alive also by stopping the bleeding from his wound.

I wonder has he recovered enough to understand all that happened to him that day?

[sabrina 1]

8. Hi CaliforniaPeggy. He was a true hero

and I am really glad his family got to know that.

[aquart]

3. Another one we couldn't afford to lose.

I'm glad his family, his community, and his country now knows the truth about his death. This is what we mean when we say, "hero." It is an amazing legacy to leave.

[tavalon]

4. A good man

[Ilsa]

5. What an incredible person. My heart goes out to his family. nt

[sabrina 1]

7. Yes, and he was also a victim of the hateful

vitriol in Az having to have protection after a fair ruling he made in accordance with the law and the Constitution, due to death threats.

I really hope that these tragic deaths will cause people to think twice about what the infuence they have on disturbed people. But so far it doesn't look that way sadly.

[Taverner]

10. The good die young

[Sonoman]

11. I spoke - at length - with his nephew last week.

This guy (an agent for American Airlines who shall remain un-named) did an exceptional job, getting us to Atlanta right after the storm.

We asked him where he was based and he replied, "Tucson".

When we offered our prayers and thoughts to the people of Tucson, he said "The judge was my uncle" and proceeded to tell us all of these wonderful stories about a truly amazing man.

Sonoman

[sabrina 1]

15. They will miss him very much I am sure. It is very

nice that you got to speak to him. I'm sure he is very proud of his uncle. He sounds like a very honest and decent man.

[Blue Owl]

12. I'm waiting to hear about the Republican heroes

Oh wait, there aren't any...

[theHandpuppet]

13. I believe the Judge was a registered Republican

So I'm not sure what point you are trying to make.

[Blue Owl]

14. I thought he was a Democrat...

my bad...

[justiceischeap]

16. He was a (R) who died to save a (D)--talk about bipartisan

Lots of other (R)s could take a lesson from the judge.

[sabrina 1]

17. Yes, he was a Republican but was considered to be a very

fair judge. The rabid right-wing bigots in his state threatened him with death after he made a ruling on a civil case filed by undocumented workers. He ruled that the case could go forward. The threats were so serious that he was assigned protection for himself and his family.

I imagine he was not someone who was thrilled with the rabid rightwing hate-mongers that now represent the Republican party.

[JI7]

20. Judge Roll was a Conservative and Republican

many of the people who attended Giffords events describe themselves as conservative. of course she couldn't have won that district without their votes.

there are decent people on the other side and that's who Dems try to reach out to . not to the teabagging freeper losers.

[Turborama]

18. K&R Thanks for posting, Sabrina. He was a true hero who acted on instinct.

I can't imagine how disturbing it must be for anyone who has to watch these videos as part of their job. You can't 'unsee' something like that.

[sabrina 1]

19. Yes, I was thinking that. I think they should never release them

to the public. I believe one of the investigators who saw the videos did say it was extremely disturbing for him to watch.

I would think that the loved ones of those killed and wounded would find them very disturbing also.

But they did show what a hero this man was. It's likely we might never have known as the person he saved may not even have realized how it all happened, he might have been in shock.

I know the reports I saw said people thought the judge was talking to Gaby Giffords when he and she were shot. It's easy for people to be confused in a situation like this.

[uppityperson]

21. I don't use the word "hero" often, but Judge Roll deserves the title. rip

[riderinthestorm]

22. I'm not a believer but if I were, I'd say his karmic destiny is guaranteed

What a hero. I never use that word lightly. But Justice Roll deserves this. I've known some fine Conservative Republicans and I'm guessing this man stands with them. RIP Judge.

[sabrina 1]

25. The Beck/Palin/Limbaugh gang have gotten Conservatives a very

bad name. But I know many good Conservatives also, and this judge was one of the good people. And he definitely was a hero.

[Kurovski]

23. K&R. (nt)

[suffragette]

24. His last act reflects his caring nature

A sad loss.

[Mafia Killer]

26. sorry

I'll reserve my platitudes until I've seen the video.
after 30 years of Neocons shoving their superiority in my face......I don't have any respect or feelings of "love" for any of them.
for all I know....the Judge was trying to get the hell out of Dodge and the other guy was in his way.
if he truly was trying to protect someone else....then yes, give him a hero's nomination.
but ...that is what a real American should do....but most RWer's tend to run from trouble...and use US as shields.

and before some of you RW sympathizers start ripping into my comments......don't. I don't care what you have to say.
none of the RWer's have anything I care to listen to anymore.
you wanted enemies.....now you've got them.....DEAL with it.

I hate to see anyone hurt or killed by senseless violence.
that's why I was a vocal and adamant protester of the Iraq war....which I consider to have been a personal vendetta of GW's.
he himself admitted that Iraq had nothing to do with the attack on America.
But the RW and Fox have spent the last 10 years screaming how anyone not agreeing to THEIR views, were unamerican....terrorist supporting ....Troop hating .....socialist...communist....scum, that "needed" to be drug into the streets and publicly killed.
or jailed....or despised. but it all boiled down to HATE.

so, don't expect sympathy from me.
if I'm fortunate to live long enough to see Beck, Limbaugh, Palin et al....die, for whatever reason, I'll rejoice..not mourn.

God Bless America !
God Damn the Republicans.

I'm done now....go back to your box of wine and watch the superbowl.
I'll continue fighting for the America that I love.

[sabrina 1]

27. Really? That's quite a diatribe and actually sounds far more like

something coming from that rightwing machine you claim to despise so much.

This judge was a Conservative who was himself threatened by the rightwing fringe dwellers. And he was shot in the back trying to protect a wounded man from being killed. He succeeded. That's all there is to it.