John Roll
{{Short description|American judge (1947–2011)}}
{{Use American English|date = April 2019}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = John Roll
|image = Chief Judge John Roll.jpg
|office = Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Arizona
|caption = Roll in 2007
|term_start = May 1, 2006
|term_end = January 8, 2011
|predecessor = Stephen M. McNamee
|successor = Roslyn O. Silver
|office1 = Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Arizona
|appointer1 = George H. W. Bush
|term_start1 = November 25, 1991
|term_end1 = January 8, 2011
|predecessor1 = Alfredo Chavez Marquez
|successor1 = Jennifer Zipps
|birth_name = John McCarthy Roll
|birth_date = {{birth date|1947|2|8}}
|birth_place = Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
|death_date = {{death date and age|2011|1|8|1947|2|8}}
|death_place = Casas Adobes, Arizona, U.S.
|death_cause = Gunshot wound
|party = Republican
|spouse = Maureen
|children = 3
|education = University of Arizona (BA, JD)
University of Virginia (LLM)
}}
John McCarthy Roll (February 8, 1947 – January 8, 2011) was a United States district judge who served on the United States District Court for the District of Arizona from 1991 until his murder in 2011, and as chief judge of that court from 2006 to 2011. With degrees from the University of Arizona College of Law and University of Virginia School of Law, Roll began his career as a court bailiff in Arizona and became an assistant city attorney of Tucson, Arizona in 1973. Later that year, Roll became a deputy county attorney for Pima County, Arizona until 1980, when he began serving as an Assistant United States Attorney for seven years. President George H. W. Bush appointed Roll to a federal judge seat in Arizona after Roll served four years as a state judge.
Roll was killed in the 2011 Tucson shooting while attending a constituent outreach event held by U.S. Representative Gabby Giffords in Casas Adobes, near Tucson, Arizona.{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2011/CRIME/01/09/arizona.shooting/index.html|title=Congresswoman's responses after Arizona shooting called encouraging|publisher=CNN|date=January 9, 2011|access-date=January 9, 2011}}{{Cite news|last1=Bell|first1=Melissa|last2=Buck|first2=James|url=http://voices.washingtonpost.com/blog-post/2011/01/arizona_shooting_victims_the_i.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120527154954/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/blog-post/2011/01/arizona_shooting_victims_the_i.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 27, 2012|title=Updated: List of injured victims in Arizona shooting released by Pima County sheriff|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=January 14, 2011|access-date=January 14, 2011}}
Early life and education
Roll was born in Pittsburgh to a Roman Catholic family, and grew up in Arizona. He attended Salpointe Catholic High School in Tucson.{{cite news|last=Gassen|first=Sarah Garrecht|url=http://azstarnet.com/news/local/crime/article_e2aadfb5-122a-5273-82c2-706bd4f11fef.html|title=A man of faith and devoted to rule of law|newspaper=Arizona Daily Star|date=January 9, 2011|access-date=January 9, 2011}} Roll received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Arizona in 1969, a Juris Doctor from the University of Arizona College of Law in 1972, and a Master of Laws from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1990.{{cite web|url=https://www.fjc.gov/history/judges/roll-john-mccarthy|title=Roll, John McCarthy – Federal Judicial Center|website=www.fjc.gov}}
Personal life
Roll and his wife, Maureen, had been married for 41 years at the time of his death. They had three sons.{{cite news|last=Swaine|first=Jon|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/us-politics/8249152/Arizona-shooting-dead-Judge-John-Roll.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110112074929/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/us-politics/8249152/Arizona-shooting-dead-Judge-John-Roll.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 12, 2011|title=Arizona shooting dead: Judge John Roll|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|access-date=January 9, 2011}} He was described as "deeply conservative", politically,[http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/judge-john-roll-in-peers-thoughts-at-superior-court-investiture-6642795 Judge John Roll In Peers' Thoughts At Superior Court Investiture], PhoenixNewTimes.com; accessed May 3, 2017. and a lifelong Republican.[https://blogs.wsj.com/dispatch/2011/01/09/victim-profile-john-roll-63-arizona-federal-judge/ Victim Profile: John Roll, 63, Arizona Federal Judge, Wall Street Journal, January 9, 2011, retrieved May 8, 2019]
Roll was a Roman Catholic who attended Mass daily. He served as a lector in the sacred liturgy. He was an active member of the St. Thomas More Society and a Fourth Degree Knight of Columbus.{{Cite web|url=http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/remembering-judge-john-roll|title = Remembering Judge John Roll| date=January 21, 2011 }}{{Cite web|url=http://www.kofc.org/en/news/releases/az_judge_roll.html|title = Knights of Columbus mourn death of Judge John M. Roll, other victims in Tucson}}
Legal career
Roll was a bailiff for the Pima County Superior Court from 1972 to 1973. He was an assistant city attorney of Tucson in 1973, and was then a deputy county attorney of Pima County's Criminal Division from 1973 to 1980. He was a clinical instructor at the University of Arizona College of Law from 1978 to 1979, after which he served as an Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Arizona from 1980 to 1987. During that time, he was attached to an organized crime task force (1982–1986) and the Civil Division (1986–1987). After his years as an Assistant United States Attorney, he became a state judge and served on the Arizona Court of Appeals, Division Two, from 1987 to 1991, and eventually became its vice-chief judge in 1991. He also served as a judge on the Pima County Superior Court, Criminal Bench, in that year.
Federal judge
Roll was nominated by President George H. W. Bush on September 23, 1991, to a seat on the United States District Court for the District of Arizona that had been vacated by Alfredo Chavez Marquez. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on November 22, 1991, and received his commission on November 25. Roll was elevated to Chief Judge on May 1, 2006, succeeding Stephen M. McNamee, and served until his death in January 2011.{{cite web|url=http://www.uscourts.gov/news/TheThirdBranch/06-05-01/Judicial_Milestones.aspx|title=Judicial Milestones|date=May 2006|publisher=Administrative Office of the United States Courts|access-date=January 18, 2001|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101207054715/http://www.uscourts.gov/News/TheThirdBranch/06-05-01/Judicial_Milestones.aspx|archive-date=December 7, 2010}} Roll was succeeded as chief judge by Roslyn O. Silver.{{cite news|last=Markon|first=Jerry|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/16/AR2011011604721.html|title=Federal court authorities plan to move trial of Tucson shooting suspect|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=January 17, 2011|access-date=January 18, 2011}}
In 1994, Roll was one of several district court judges who held that provisions of the Brady Law violated the Tenth Amendment,{{cite web|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Judge+rules+against+background+checks.-a016373704|title=Judge rules against background checks|last=Schneider|first=Jim|publisher=Gale|date=October 1, 1994|access-date=January 8, 2011}} a holding upheld by the United States Supreme Court in the related case of Printz v. United States.
In 2009, Roll ruled that the case Vicente v. Barnett could go forward. The $32 million lawsuit brought by the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF) against Arizona rancher Roger Barnett on behalf of 16 Mexican plaintiffs charged that the plaintiffs were assaulted, threatened, and held at gunpoint by Barnett and members of his family. After Roll's ruling and prompted by several talk-radio programs, he was the subject of hundreds of complaining phone calls and death threats and he and his family were under the protection of the U.S. Marshals Service for a month.[http://www.maldef.org/immigration/litigation/vicente_v_barnett/ Vicente v. Barnett] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110113160634/http://www.maldef.org/immigration/litigation/vicente_v_barnett/ |date=January 13, 2011 }}, Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund.{{cite news|last=Seper|first=Jerry|url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/feb/09/16-illegals-sue-arizona-rancher/|title=16 illegals sue Arizona rancher|newspaper=The Washington Times|date=February 9, 2009|access-date=January 9, 2011}}{{cite news|last=Anglen|first=Robert|url=http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/2009/07/09/20090709threats0709.html|title=U.S. judiciary facing rise in death threats |newspaper=The Arizona Republic|date=July 9, 2009|access-date=January 9, 2011}} Roll declined to press charges when some of those who made threats were identified.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/09/us/09judge.html|title=Amid Shock, Recalling Judge's Life of Service|last=Schwartz|first=John|date=January 9, 2011|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=January 9, 2011}}
Murder
{{main|2011 Tucson shooting}}
File:Gabrielle Giffords shooting scene 2.jpg
Roll was shot on January 8, 2011, outside a Safeway supermarket in Casas Adobes, Arizona,{{cite news|last1=Kiefer|first1=Michael|last2=Bland|first2=Karina|url=http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2011/01/09/20110109john-roll-gabrielle-giffords-arizona-shooting.html|title=Judge John Roll respected among peers|newspaper=The Arizona Republic|date=January 9, 2011|access-date=January 9, 2011}} when Jared Lee Loughner opened fire at a "Congress on Your Corner" event held by Democratic U.S. Representative Gabby Giffords. Roll had attended Mass earlier that morning and decided only about an hour before the shooting to attend the event.{{cite news|title=Reports: Judge Roll Received Death Threats Federal Judge Killed in Ariz. Was Target 2 Years Ago After Controversial Ruling|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/01/08/national/main7226269.shtml|publisher=CBS News|date=January 8, 2011|access-date=January 8, 2011|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110109211803/https://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/01/08/national/main7226269.shtml|archive-date = January 9, 2011}} Surveillance video revealed that Roll was shot once in the back after pushing down and shielding Ron Barber, a staffer for Giffords who had just been shot.{{cite web|first=Zachary|last=Roth|title=Police: Slain judge 'was thinking of his fellow human more than himself'|date=January 19, 2010|publisher=Yahoo! Inc.|work=Blog: The Lookout|url=https://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_thelookout/20110119/us_yblog_thelookout/police-video-shows-calculated-loughner|access-date=January 22, 2011}}{{cite web|first=Andrew|last=Cohen|title=Slain Judge John Roll Tried to Shield Other Tucson Victim, Video Indicates|date=January 18, 2011|publisher=AOL Inc.|work=Politics Daily|url=http://www.politicsdaily.com/2011/01/18/slain-judge-john-roll-tried-to-shield-other-tucson-victim-video/|access-date=January 22, 2011|archive-date=January 22, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110122005631/http://www.politicsdaily.com/2011/01/18/slain-judge-john-roll-tried-to-shield-other-tucson-victim-video/|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|title=Security Video Reveals Tucson Shooting Horror|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/security-video-reveals-tucson-shooting-horror/|publisher=CBS News|page=2|date=January 19, 2011|access-date=January 20, 2011}}{{cite news|last=Thomas|first=Pierre|title=Security Video Reveals Tucson Shooting Horror|url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/jared-loughners-alleged-rampage-caught-tape-fbi-reviews/story?id=12644306|publisher=ABC News|date=January 19, 2011|access-date=January 20, 2011}} Roll died from his injuries, as did five other people. Thirteen others were injured by gunfire, but survived, including Giffords and Barber; Barber would go on to replace Giffords when she resigned from Congress to recuperate from the injuries sustained in the shooting.
Chief Justice John Roberts issued a statement, memorializing Roll as "a wise jurist who selflessly served Arizona and the nation with great distinction, as attorney and judge, for more than 35 years", adding "his death is a somber reminder of the importance of the rule of law and the sacrifices of those who work to secure it".{{cite news|url=http://www.foxnewsinsider.com/2011/01/08/statement-from-chief-justice-roberts-on-death-of-judge-roll/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711022047/http://foxnewsinsider.com/2011/01/08/statement-from-chief-justice-roberts-on-death-of-judge-roll/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 11, 2011 |title=Statement from Chief Justice Roberts on Death of Judge Roll |journal=FOX Insider |publisher=Fox News Channel |date=January 8, 2011 |access-date=January 8, 2011 }}
File:Obama Barber University Medical Center Tucson 2011.jpg visits a recovering Ron Barber, whom Roll had reportedly shielded during the shooting.]]
Other plaudits came from Senator John McCain, who had recommended Roll for appointment to the federal bench; from Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik; and from Bishop Gerald Kicanas of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tucson, who noted that Roll was an active parishioner who "lived his faith".{{cite news|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna40985623|title=Judge slain in Ariz. shooting wins wide acclaim|publisher=NBC News|agency=Associated Press|access-date=January 9, 2011}}
Then-Chief Judge Alex Kozinski of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, whose jurisdiction included Arizona, stated that "Judge Roll was a widely respected jurist, a strong and able leader of his court, and a kind, courteous and sincere gentleman". President Barack Obama commented on Roll's death in his statement issued after the shooting, noting that Roll "served America's legal system for almost 40 years".[https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/blog/2011/01/08/president-speaks-shootings-tucson-we-are-going-get-bottom-and-we-re-going-get-throug The President Speaks on the Shootings in Tucson: "We Are Going to Get to the Bottom of This, and We're Going to Get Through This"], whitehouse.gov, January 8, 2009.
Jared Lee Loughner was charged by federal prosecutors with Roll's murder. Evidence gathered by federal investigators indicates that Giffords was Loughner's main target. Roll was apparently not specifically targeted – Loughner might not have even known who he was. Roll lived in the area, and had attended the event to continue a prior conversation with Giffords about the volume of cases in Arizona Federal courts.{{cite web|url=http://www.azd.uscourts.gov/azd/courtinfo.nsf/4D0B9DBD4DCBDEC007257814000A667C/$file/11-0035m-Doc2.pdf?openelement|title=CRIMINAL COMPLAINT: United States of America v. JARED LEE LOUGHNER|publisher=U.S. District Court of Arizona|format=PDF|date=January 9, 2011|access-date=January 13, 2011|archive-date=January 11, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110111195634/http://www.azd.uscourts.gov/azd/courtinfo.nsf/4D0B9DBD4DCBDEC007257814000A667C/$file/11-0035m-Doc2.pdf?openelement|url-status=dead}}
Roll was the first federal judge murdered in office since Robert Smith Vance in 1989. Chief Judge Alex Kozinski of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals selected Larry Alan Burns, a judge of the Southern District Court of California, to be the presiding judge over Loughner's trial,{{cite journal|url=http://www.law.com/jsp/ca/PubArticleCA.jsp?id=1202477872855|title=San Diego Federal Judge Tapped for Loughner Case|last=LaRoe|first=Ginny|journal=The Recorder|date=January 12, 2011|access-date=January 13, 2011}}{{cite news|url=http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/01/due_to_arizona_conflicts_california_judge_takes_ov.php|title=Due To Arizona Conflicts, California Judge Takes Over Loughner Case|last=Reilly|first=Ryan J.|journal=Talking Points Memo|access-date=January 13, 2011|archive-date=January 18, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230118122431/http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/01/due_to_arizona_conflicts_california_judge_takes_ov.php|url-status=dead}} after all federal judges in Arizona recused themselves because of their ties to Roll.{{Cite news|last=Johnson|first=Kevin|url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2011-01-12-defense12_ST_N.htm|title=In Loughner case, Ariz. federal judiciary considers recusal|newspaper=USA Today|date=January 11, 2011|access-date=January 12, 2011}}{{Cite news|last=O'Neill|first=Ann|url=http://www.cnn.com/2011/CRIME/01/12/arizona.judy.clarke.profile/|title=Lawyer keeps even the most loathed criminals off death row|publisher=CNN|access-date=January 12, 2011}}
See also
{{Portal|Biography|United States|Politics|Law}}
{{Clear}}
References
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}
External links
- [https://www.fjc.gov/history/judges/roll-john-mccarthy FJC Bio]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20110116222616/http://www.uscourts.gov/News/NewsView/11-01-10/Chief_U_S_District_Judge_John_M_Roll_1947-2011.aspx Chief U.S. District Judge John M. Roll, 1947–2011] at the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20110110105018/http://judgepedia.org/index.php/John_Roll John Roll] at Judgepedia
{{s-start}}
{{s-legal}}
{{s-bef|before=Alfredo Chavez Marquez}}
{{s-ttl|title=Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Arizona|years=1991–2011}}
{{s-aft|after=Jennifer Zipps}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=Stephen M. McNamee}}
{{s-ttl|title={{nowrap|Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Arizona}}|years=2006–2011}}
{{s-aft|after=Roslyn O. Silver}}
{{s-end}}
{{AZDistrictChiefJudges|state=collapsed}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Roll, John McCarthy}}
Category:21st-century American judges
Category:American Roman Catholics
Category:American murder victims
Category:Arizona state court judges
Category:Assistant United States attorneys
Category:Deaths by firearm in Arizona
Category:James E. Rogers College of Law alumni
Category:Judges of the United States District Court for the District of Arizona
Category:Lawyers from Pittsburgh
Category:People murdered in Arizona
Category:Superior court judges in the United States
Category:United States district court judges appointed by George H. W. Bush