(Newser)
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Gabby Giffords stood about 20 feet away from Jared Lee Loughner in court today but chose not to speak at his sentencing—during which a judge guaranteed that he will spend the rest of his life in prison without the possibility of parole, reports AP. Giffords' husband, Mark Kelly, delivered remarks, which CNN has in full here. They note that Giffords is now "partially blind" and that her right arm is paralyzed. Some excerpts:
- "Gabby and I are done thinking about you."
- "Mr. Loughner, you may have put a bullet through her head but you haven't put a dent in her spirit and her commitment to make the world a better place."
- "Her life has been forever changed. Every day is a continuous struggle to do those things she once was so good at."
Loughner, who got
seven life terms plus another 140 years for the 2011 rampage that killed six, showed no emotion at the sentencing, though AP notes that his mother sat nearby sobbing as Kelly and others spoke in court. Loughner's
guilty plea allowed him to avoid the death penalty.
