Friday, January 14, 2011

ARIZONA - John M. Roll United States Courthouse?

"Sens. McCain, Kyl propose bill to name courthouse after slain Judge Roll" by Ben Pershing, Washington Post 1/14/2011

Six days after the death of John M. Roll, the chief federal judge in Arizona, in the shooting spree at a Tucson Safeway, Arizona's two senators are proposing to preserve the memory of the slain jurist by naming a new courthouse for him.

Sens. John McCain (R) and Jon Kyl (R) announced Friday that they would introduce legislation to name the soon-to-be constructed federal courthouse in Yuma the "John M. Roll United States Courthouse."

"We had the privilege and honor of knowing and working with Chief Judge Roll for many years," McCain and Kyl said in a joint statement. "He was known for his fairness to all who appeared before him in his courtroom, both plaintiffs and defendants. As chief judge, he was a tireless advocate for all Arizonans, working to guarantee the federal courts in our state were capable of handling the growing caseload while ensuring swift justice for all. On Saturday morning he was tragically killed continuing this advocacy. We are eternally grateful for his many years of public service as a bailiff, a prosecutor and a judge."

They noted that Roll was "a strong advocate" for building the Yuma courthouse, on which construction will begin this year. The facility should be completed in 2013.

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