Senate Engrossed

State of Arizona Senate Fiftieth Legislature First Regular Session 2011

SENATE RESOLUTION 1008

 

A RESOLUTION

 

on the death of the honorable john roll.

 

 

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

 

The Honorable Judge John Roll, United States District Judge, was killed at the age of sixty-three on January 8, 2011 during a horrendous assassination attempt on Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords' life.

Born in Pennsylvania, John Roll earned his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Arizona and a Masters of Laws degree from the University of Virginia.  He served as a county and state prosecutor, a state trial judge and a state appeals court judge before being appointed to the federal bench in 1991 by President George H.W. Bush.  Named as Arizona's chief federal judge in 2006, Judge Roll was highly respected for his diligent and conscientious work as a jurist and for his efforts to reduce the court's high caseload.

Six innocent people, including Judge Roll, were tragically killed on the morning of January 8, 2011, when a lone gunman began shooting those who had gathered at Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords' Congress on Your Corner event in Tucson.  Judge Roll, a friend of Ms. Giffords, had stopped by to greet the congresswoman in this most basic of exchanges between an elected official and her constituents.  This senseless attack has shocked and saddened all Americans. 

The citizens of Arizona are in mourning.  Yet for many, their grief goes deeper than can be imagined as they face the terrible reality of the loss of innocent loved ones.  A loving and dedicated husband and father, Judge John Roll will be greatly missed by his wife, Maureen, his three sons, his five grandchildren, his peers and colleagues the United States district bench and his many friends in the Tucson community.

Therefore

Be it resolved by the Senate of the State of Arizona:

That the Members of the Senate sincerely regret the passing of Judge John Roll and extend their deepest sympathies to his family, colleagues and many friends.