At the hearing Tuesday morning in U.S. District Court in Tucson, psychiatric experts who have examined Loughner, 23, are scheduled to testify that they have concluded that despite wide swings in his mental capacity, at this time he comprehends what happened and acknowledges the gravity of the charges, according to two sources who spoke on condition of anonymity because the case was still unfolding.
The terms of the plea arrangement remained unclear Saturday on whether Loughner would admit guilt to all or some of the charges in return for a lengthy prison sentence rather than risk a potential death penalty verdict at trial.
State prosecutors in Tucson initially said they would pursue charges against Loughner as well, but the federal government went first. They now would probably review their options and decide whether it would be wise to go forward.
Many of the victims of the Jan. 8, 2011, attack and their families are likely to attend the hearing in downtown Tucson, not far from the site of the attack during Giffords’ Congress On Your Corner event. Survivors would be invited to testify about the assault and their injuries at a separate hearing yet to be scheduled, in which Loughner would be formally sentenced.
Loughner’s agreement to plead guilty, if finalized in court Tuesday, would probably end more than a year and a half of psychiatric evaluations and testing, including some periods in which he was medicated at a federal prison hospital. It also would close out complex legal disagreements between prosecutors and defense attorneys over his mental capacity.
Frankly, considering my views on the death penalty (I'm absolutely against it) the notion that this asshole ends up in a federal prison for the next 60 plus years for killing multiple people including a 9-year-old girl is perfectly alright with me. Anything less than life without the possibility of parole is too lenient. This guy needs to rot for the rest of his life for what he did. He was completely aware and it looks like the proper medical officials have made it clear just what choices Loughner has: life in prison or a very short stay behind bars followed by a longer one in the ground.
I'm of the general mindset that life behind bars in cases like this is far more of a punishment than death. Killing Loughner means nothing to him. Having him grow old enough to become increasingly filled with horror and remorse for his actions? I'm good with that instructive device.
We'll see what he pleads out to on Tuesday.
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