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Named Arizona's chief federal judge in
2006, U.S. District Judge John M. Roll won wide acclaim for a
career as a respected jurist and leader who had pushed to beef up
the court's strained bench to handle a growing number of border
crime-related cases.


      His death Saturday, at the hands of gunman apparently intent on
assassinating Arizona U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, stunned those
who mourned the loss of a devoted, talented and gentle man.


      "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.


      Mark Kimball, a Giffords aide who was at the shooting scene at a
shopping center, told The Associated Press that he believed the
judge, who lived in the area, had simply gone to the Safeway where
the shooting occurred to shop. Five others died in the attack, and
several others were wounded, including Giffords.


      Kimball said Giffords had worked with the judge in the past to
line up funding to build a new courthouse in Yuma.


      Roll, 63, was appointed to the federal bench in 1991 by
President George H.W. Bush. Roll previously served as a state trial
judge and as a judge on the midlevel Arizona Court of appeals. He
previously worked as a county and state prosecutor.


      Named chief judge for Arizona in 2006, Roll pushed for more
judges placed on the court's bench as border violence has swelled
the district's caseload.


      "Judge Roll was a widely respected jurist, a strong and able
leader of his court, and a kind, courteous and sincere gentleman,"
said Chief Judge Alex Kozinski of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of
Appeals, the federal circuit that includes Arizona. "He worked
tirelessly to improve the delivery of justice to the people of
Arizona."


      U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said he recommended Roll for
federal appointment.


      "Words are inadequate to express such a profound loss to his
family, friends, state and country, but it is appropriate to note
that a man of great qualities and character was struck down
today," McCain said.


      Chief Justice John Roberts said in Washington that the killing
of Roll was a terrible loss for the judiciary. The judge served
Arizona and the nation selflessly and with great distinction,
Roberts said.


      Roll received death threats in 2009 after he denied a southern
Arizona rancher's motions to dismiss a lawsuit filed on behalf of
illegal immigrants who alleged that the rancher detained, assault
and threatened them, the Arizona Republic reported.


      "It was unnerving and invasive ... by its nature it has to
be," Roll told the Phoenix newspaper in a mid-2009 interview.


      He said he followed the advice of the Marshals Service to not
press charges against four men identified as threatening him.


      As a federal judge, Roll handled a wide variety of cases.


      He ruled in 2009 that federal wildlife officials used incorrect
criteria when deciding against designating critical habitat and
develop endangered jaguars.


      In the 1990s, he was among several federal judges who ruled that
the Brady gun law's requirement for a records check by local
authorities violates the Constitutional's 10th Amendment.


      Roll was a Pennsylvania native who got his law degree from the
University of Virginia. He is survived by his wife, Maureen, three
sons, and five grandchildren.

Gallery

AZ shooting targets congresswoman, kills 6

Crime, Law and Justice

U.S. District Judge John M. Roll won wide acclaim for a career as a respected jurist and leader in Arizona. His death Saturday, at the hands of gunman apparently intent on killing Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, stunned those who mourned the loss of a devoted, talented and gentle man.

Arizona's chief fed judge among shooting victims

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