All federal judges in Arizona have recused themselves from hearing the case against the man accused of shooting Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and four other federal employees.
An order issued Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Roslyn Silver says the impartiality of the Arizona judges could be questioned given that one of people killed in the shooting was U.S. District Judge John Roll of Tucson.
Roll was the chief federal judge for Arizona.
Alex Kozinski, chief judge for the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, will appoint a judge from outside Arizona to hear the case.
Jared Loughner faces federal charges of trying to assassinate Giffords, killing Roll and a Giffords staffer and wounding two other Giffords staffers.
Dale Whiting posted at 2:20 pm on Wed, Jan 12, 2011.
A highly appropriate move. Reason and good sense still inhabits our Federal Bench in Arizona.