'No greater love...' - Video of Judge John Roll confirms heroism

Judge John Roll - RIP

Few of us will ever be in the position to be a martyr. Few of us will ever be in the position to lay down our lives for another. Few of us will ever be faced with a true "life or death" situation.

"No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends." -John 15:13

For Judge John Roll though, it appears that his heroism has been confirmed through technology.  From CatholicVote.org - Matthew Bowman writes:

I and others have suggested that Judge John Roll, one of the Arizona shooting victims, was an exemplary Catholic. I’ve even personally contended that Judge Roll modeled heroic virtue in the ordinary, saint-making sense of living Christian virtue to a high degree of excellence in his daily life.


Reports this morning suggest that Judge Roll lived heroism in the extraordinary sense as well.


The Wall Street Journal reports this morning that security footage of the shooting clearly shows Judge Roll pushing one of Rep. Giffords’ staff out of the way of oncoming bullets. That bystander, Ron Barber, is Rep. Giffords district director. He was shot but he survived, and was even released in time to come to Judge Roll’s funeral last Friday, which I was honored to attend.

Bowman clerked for Judge Roll - which for some can be a very intimate relationship. He saw the man at his philosophical core, and had to as his clerk, because his job was to help craft written work that embodied the mans jurisprudence. Few positions in professional work require a person to discover and understand the inner-workings of a persons inner-most philosophical core like that of a law clerk. So to say Bowman had an understanding of Judge Rolls virtues is probably an understatement. That is why we should take what he as written to heart. But, for those of us that are immune to the word 'Hero' there is now video proof to support the words.

As Bowman writes in his CV.org post, the Wall Street Journal is reporting that a video confirms Roll's heroism:

As the shooting starts, the video shows Judge Roll pushing another man, Rob Barber, onto the ground, Mr. Nanos said. “It looks to us as though he is pushing against Ron Barber to move him out of the way.” Both men fall to the ground; both are shot. The judge was shot in the back and died.


“It’s pretty evident to me that Judge Roll was a hero … if Judge Roll had not pushed Mr. Barber his wounds might have been fatal,” Mr. Nanos said. “Judge Roll’s actions are of a man trying to save another man’s life.”

Further corroboration of the events have come from others as well. Bowman has linked Ed Whelan from NRO's take on another video that has been posted:

Describing the video, Mr. [Richard Kastigar, the investigative and operational bureau chief of the Pima County Sheriff’s Department] said the judge was “intentionally trying to help Mr. Barber,” adding, “It’s very clear to me the judge was thinking of his fellow human more than himself.”


The judge guides Mr. Barber to the ground, shields him with his body, and then tries to push himself and Mr. Barber away from the gunman, who was no more than three to four feet away as he fired, Mr. Kastigar said.


“He pushes Mr. Barber with his right hand and guides him with his left hand. The judge was on top of him and is covering up Mr. Barber, literally lying on top of him, and his back was exposed,” Mr. Kastigar said.


The judge was shot in the back.

 As I read this I was overcome with the thought that there wasn't time for deliberation or consideration. This was instinct, this was principle, this was as Bowman properly described it: heroic virtue. It makes a person wonder what they would do in that situation. Would they be able to do the same? Is there a love inside of you that would instinctively allow your to throw your own personal safety and life aside for another? Possibly even a stranger? I would hope that in such a situation I would do the same, but I know that I am weak and honestly don't know how I would react, because it is about reaction and not analyzation.

It is clear though that Judge John Roll committed an act of complete love and selflessness. He committed the ultimate act of love and charity. I thank Matthew Bowman for the insights into the virtue of Judge Roll. For he truly is a hero and unfortunately there is now video evidence of it. May he rest in peace and let perpetual light shine upon him.

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