Funeral Held for Judge Roll
Washington Post reports:
For the second day in a row, mourners in this grieving city streamed toward a pink-walled, green-roofed Catholic church under bright and sunny skies.
But on Friday, instead of remembering the spirited, short life of a girl who loved gymnastics and dance and was newly interested in civics, they mourned a respected federal judge who faced threats on his life over the years but - in the end - was gunned down by accident.
Christina Taylor Green, at age 9 the youngest victim of last weekend's shooting rampage, was remembered Thursday in a funeral service at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church.
The funeral for John M. Roll, the chief federal judge in Arizona, was held at the same church Friday at 10 a.m. Mountain time (noon in Washington). As mourners entered the sanctuary, the sound of bagpipes floated out into the crisp desert air.
The federal courthouse in Tucson was shut down for five hours so lawyers, court employees and Roll's judicial colleagues could attend the Mass and funeral. Among the dignitaries expected at the service was retired Supreme Court justice Sandra Day O'Connor. A private burial was scheduled at a nearby cemetery following the service.
About 100 officers from the U.S. Marshals Service, the Tucson police, the Pima County Sheriff's Department and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives helped to secure the church.
Mourners began arriving at 8 a.m. By 10:15 a.m., some were turned away, as the 1,700 seats in the church were filled.
Outside, about 20 volunteers dressed as angels stood, each with a single red rose in hand. They came to keep out protesters from Westboro Baptist church, who had said they might demonstrate outside the service, but did not end up doing so.
"Tucson is known as the biggest, small town. We're not used to this type of violence," said Tony Silva, 50, who lives in the neighborhood and came to bear witness, dressed in black jeans, black shirt and a black leather jacket.
"He was a wonderful role model for people because he was a compassionate and deliberate judge and he treated all parties with respect," said
Vince Rabago, a lawyer in Tucson who knew Roll, called the judge "unbiased and fair," and said he "did the right thing even if it ruffled feathers."
