Attorney General Eric Holder’s decision to accept a plea deal and not seek the death penalty for Jared Loughner, the gunman in the Arizona mass shooting last year, received an important vote of confidence from one of those wounded: former representative Gabby Giffords. A statement issued by her husband, astronaut Mark Kelly, said that the couple had been in touch with Holder’s office, and that while they can’t speak for all the victims or their families, Kelly said: “Gabby and I are satisfied with this plea agreement. The pain and loss caused by the events of January 8, 2011, are incalculable. Avoiding a trial will allow us—and we hope the whole Southern Arizona community—to continue with our recovery and move forward with our lives.”