Jared Lee Loughner has been sentenced to life after pleading guilty to shooting U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords when he went on a shooting rampage. Click below to find out more.
Former astronaut Mark Kelly is married to Giffords, who stood by his side, and he spoke directly to Jared Loughner, saying he changed his wife’s life forever but not her spirit.
“You may have put a bullet through her head but you haven’t put a dent in her spirit,” he told the court. Giffords and Kelly turned to face Loughner so they are eye to eye with him, though they are separated by about 20 feet.
Kelly said Loughner sought to diminish the beauty of life, but failed. He said the shooter wanted to create for ‘us’ a life as dark and evil as his own.
It was the first time Giffords came face-to-face with Loughner. She did not speak.
Giffords and Kelly walked slowly to the podium, the former congresswoman appearing to struggle with her steps.
