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Activist swiftly convicted in abortion doc’s death – Yahoo! News
WICHITA, Kan. – A jury took just 37 minutes Friday to convict an anti-abortion activist of murder for putting a gun to the head of abortion doctor George Tiller and pulling the trigger in the foyer of a church.
Attorneys for Scott Roeder had hoped to argue for a lesser conviction of voluntary manslaughter, based on the defendant’s belief that the killing was justified to save the lives of unborn children. But the judge threw out that defense a day earlier, leaving the jurors to choose between a murder conviction or acquittal.
Roeder, 51, of Kansas City, Mo., admitted his actions on the witness stand. He faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison.
Defense attorney Mark Rudy described his case as “helpless and hopeless.”
“I’ve never seen anyone lay himself out as much as Mr. Roeder did,” Rudy said after the verdict, referring to his client’s confessions.
Prosecutors carefully sidestepped the abortion debate as they laid out a case painting Roeder as a cold and careful killer who methodically planned his attack on Tiller, one of the only doctors in the nation to offer late-term abortions.
But both sides of the abortion debate lined up to respond to the verdict.
Abortion-rights advocates said the decision would send a message to the militant fringe of the anti-abortion movement.
Vicki Saporta, president of the National Abortion Federation, said she hoped the verdict would be a “deterrent to those that that are considering following in Roeder’s footsteps.”
“While the verdict won’t bring back Dr. Tiller, it was very important justice was done today for the safety and security of other abortion providers across the country and women’s ability to access abortion care,” Saporta said.
Troy Newman, president of Wichita-based Operation Rescue, said “pro-life was not on trial. An insane man doing an insane thing was on trial.”
He said Roeder “could have saved us about three weeks of taxpayers’ time and the city’s agony if he would have just confessed to it up front.”
Roeder could be considered for parole after 25 years. But prosecutor Nola Foulston said she would seek to ensure that he serve at least 50 years before being eligible. Sentencing was set for March 9.
In the courtroom, Tiller’s family held hands and fought tears as the verdicts were read. Tiller’s widow, Jeanne, later released a statement saying that the jury had “reached a just verdict.”
The family said it wanted Tiller to be “remembered for his legacy of service to women, the help he provided for those who needed it and the love and happiness he provided us as a husband, father and grandfather.”
In a November interview with The Associated Press, Roeder admitted shooting Tiller in the foyer of the Wichita church where the doctor was serving as an usher. On the witness stand, he testified he felt that Tiller placed the lives of unborn children in “immediate danger.”
During closing arguments Friday, Rudy urged the jury to reject the murder charge. “No one,” he said, “should be convicted based on his convictions.”
Rudy mentioned leaders who stood up for their beliefs, including Martin Luther King Jr. They were “celebrated individuals (who) stood up and made the world a better place.”
“They leave their marks based on their words and deeds,” Rudy said.
But prosecutor Kim Parker said Roeder was “simply guilty of the crime he has been charged with.”
Prosecutor Ann Swegle told jurors to use their “common sense” and find Roeder guilty based not only on the state’s case but also on Roeder’s own testimony in which he described how he killed Tiller in a “planned assassination.”
“There could be no other verdict in this case,” she said.
Wearing a dark suit with a red tie, Roeder sat expressionless as the verdict was read. He moved his head toward the judge and to the jury as each juror confirmed the decision.
Tiller’s Wichita clinic was the focus of many protests and had been under investigation by a former state district attorney who accused the doctor of skirting Kansas’ abortion laws. In 2009, Tiller was acquitted of misdemeanor charges of violating Kansas restrictions on late-term abortions.
Roeder, the sole defense witness, testified Thursday that he considered elaborate schemes to stop the doctor, including chopping off his hands, crashing a car into him or sneaking into his home to kill him.
But in the end, Roeder told jurors, the easiest way was to walk into Tiller’s church, put a gun to the doctor’s forehead and pull the trigger.
“Those children were in immediate danger if someone did not stop George Tiller,” Roeder told jurors.
But after hearing Roeder testify, District Judge Warren Wilbert ruled that his lawyers failed to show that Tiller posed an imminent threat and the jury could not consider a manslaughter verdict.
Roeder was also convicted of aggravated assault for threatening two church ushers who tried to stop Roeder from fleeing.
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Associated Press Writer Roxana Hegeman contributed to this report.
I would like to offer some tips on equipment purchase and what would be required to get started playing golf. Beside club purchase, there are additional items necessary to prepare yourself for play. The next most obvious items are a golf bag and golf balls. If you are purchasing a starter set of clubs many come with a golf bag included. If you like to walk and enjoy a little workout as you play there are carry bags, which are light weight and are slung over your shoulders. There are other bag options for you to choose from and I would suggest that you speak to the sales representative in your local pro shop or golf store (ie; Dick’s Sporting Goods and Golfsmith would provide this service) and ask him to explain the different types and price range to best suit your needs. Golf balls can also vary dramatically in price – from about $9.99 /dozen to $45.99 for the best balls on the market – Titleist Pro V and Pro V1x.
As a beginner I would recommend that you buy the more economically priced balls. The difference in performance will be negligible and you will have a tendency to lose more balls as a novice so why waste money? As you improve, you can always upgrade the type of ball that you use – I would recommend purchasing about two dozen balls to get started. There are also different compression golf balls made. 80, 90 and 100. The compression selected is directly proportionate to how fast you swing and your golf mechanics. I will not elaborate on this right now but an 80 or 90 compression ball should be more than adequate for now. If you have some power and a fairly quick swing, I would opt for the 90 which may give you a bit more distance. NOTE: The professionals and low handicap players use the higher compression balls because their impact speed and swing mechanics will allow the ball to compress properly, thus attaining the maximum result in distance. Some other equipment I would strongly recommend would be as follows:
A golf towel, golf shoes ( though not absolutely necessary it will assist with stability as you swing), Golf tees ( Note: there are different height golf tees made for different drivers, woods and irons – I would recommend that you pick up an assortment of sizes – 2 1/8″ for woods and irons & 2 3/4″ or 3 1/4″ for Drivers depending on type and size. Check with golf pro or sales person for recommendations if not sure), a golf glove ( not required but it will give you a definite advantage in gripping and holding the club more effectively), ball markers ( used on the green to mark your ball so you will not to block the path of your fellow player – a rule of golf etiquette), and a divot repair tool ( used to repair the indentation made in the green when the golf ball lands – one of the rules of etiquette to be addressed in a future writing ). Although not required to play golf, you may want to consider packing the following ancillary items : Band-aids, sunscreen and insect repellent. You never know when you may need them and it’s better to be prepared to allow for maximum comfort while you play. I think we’ve covered most of the essentials and if you have any questions please feel free to submit them to me. Now you’ve got the Desire, you’ve got your equipment, next step is to learn how to play- “The Right Way”.
There are a number of different options available to learn how to play golf. You can self teach ( read books and watch instructional videos), ask a relative or friend who knows how to play to teach you, if you are in a high school or college that offers a golf program – enroll in the program, take lessons from the golf pro at your local driving range, take golf lessons from the professional at your local golf course, golf store, private club or pro shop or enroll in a golf school. The method you choose can greatly effect your results so be sure to make the right decision for you.
About The Author
My name is Mike D’Auria and I grew up in the Canarsie section of Brooklyn, N.Y. I now live in Sayreville, N. J.. I was always into sports but never played golf until I had a severe hamstring injury. I took up golf and have enjoyed the game ever since. Happy Golfing to all! http://guideforbeginninggolfers.com
How do you train for self defense?
I often hear people say that sports training doesn't fully cover self-defense, since it doesn't encompass random unsuspected attacks. That is a good point.
People also bring up the rules and how eye-gouging, crotch biting, etc is an issue as well… (This one is a lot less valid, but I'll bite)
There's also the whole thing about multiple opponents, which is a legitimate concern.
And, finally, there's weapons to worry about.
So, for all of you guys out there that train for real self defense, how do you do it? Tell me about some drills and excercises that you practice, which address these situations.
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