In order to avoid the death penalty, the suspect in the Tucson shooting admitted to 19 crimes

In order to avoid the death penalty, the suspect in the Tucson shooting admitted to 19 crimes. In 2011, he went on a killing spree in Tucson and was suspected of killing U.S. Democratic Congressman Giffords...

In order to avoid the death penalty, the suspect in the Tucson shooting admitted to 19 crimes. Jared Giffords, the gunman who went on a killing spree in Tucson in 2011 and was suspected of trying to kill Democratic U.S. Representative Giffords. plum. Loughner pleaded guilty to the court on the 7th, admitting that he shot and killed 6 people and injured 13 others in Tucson last year in exchange for avoiding the death penalty. Prosecutors explained at a hearing in federal court in Tucson that Loughner, 23, was spared the death penalty because of his guilty plea, but faces life in prison without the chance of parole. After a year of treatment, he was found mentally competent to stand trial by Federal Judge Burns. Immediately, Loughner entered the plea process. Loughner was charged with 19 felonies including murder, attempted murder, and attempted assassination of Giffords. Federal prosecutors initially charged Lochner with 49 felony counts, but during the course of the case, prosecutors dropped 30 felony charges. In the plea agreement reached with prosecutors, Loughner admitted that he was armed with a Glock 19 pistol and more than 60 rounds of ammunition at the time and planned to assassinate Giffords. The court is scheduled to announce Loughner's sentencing on November 15. He could be sentenced to seven life sentences without parole. Mark Leigh, Giffords' husband, said the couple had been in contact with prosecutors before Loughner pleaded guilty in court and were satisfied with the arrangement for Loughner's plea to the court.