As has been widely reported, one of the random victims in the horrific shooting attack that targeted, and grievously wounded, Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was federal judge John M. Roll, chief judge of the District of Arizona. This Wall Street Journal article is among the many that provide an appreciative overview of Judge Roll’s career and life.
May Judge Roll and the other slain victims rest in peace, and may Congresswoman Giffords and the other wounded victims fully and quickly recover.
Addendum: Sean E. Brearcliffe of the law firm of Rusing & Lopez in Tucson has e-mailed me with his own appreciation of Judge Roll:
We truly did lose a giant figure in the Arizona legal community on Saturday. Judge Roll could not have been more highly respected by his colleagues on the Bench and the lawyers who appeared before him, and worked with him. I had the honor of closely working with Judge Roll when I was President of the Federal Bar Association Chapter in Tucson, and a lawyer representative to the Ninth Circuit. He was gracious, kind, and respectful of all around him, he was a man of devout faith who cherished his family. On top of that, he was a top-flight Judge of unmatched temperament.