Posted on 01/28/2010 12:16:12 PM PST by Ben Mugged
A self-proclaimed born-again Christian who believes all abortions are a sin told his trial for murder today that he shot dead an abortion doctor in Wichita, Kansas, to protect unborn children.
Scott Roeder said he had bought a .22-calibre Taurus gun and ammunition on 30 May 2009, the day before he shot George Tiller, and practised target shooting with his brother. Then he checked into a motel in Wichita, and the next day followed Tiller to the church in the town where the doctor was an usher.
His defence lawyer asked: "Did you go and shoot Dr Tiller?"
Roeder replied: "Yes."
His confession is part of his defence that he felt forced to kill in order to save the lives of unborn children. He has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder.
It is the first time in US legal history that a violent anti-abortionist has been allowed to present the jury with his justification for murder.
The judge in the case, Warren Wilbert, caused dismay among pro-abortionists and doctors this month when he ruled that Roeder would be allowed to present his justification to the court. Wilbert will decide later in the trial in Kansas whether the jury will be permitted to find the defendant guilty of the lesser crime of manslaughter.
Tiller was killed in the Reformation Lutheran church with one shot to the head. He had long been a target for anti-abortionists as he was one of few doctors prepared to perform legal late abortions, after 21 weeks of gestation.
(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...
It sounds like the guy has his head on straight enough to tell the truth.
Totally agree.
The jury sits in judgment of the law, which makes being a juror the single most important civil/political function the ordinary citizen ever performs.
Nope, the prosecution wouldn’t let me on this jury either.
Lock the POS up for life, he committed murder and he hurt the pro-life movement.
in the big picture, the government that allows the untenable practice of abortion is culpable in the slaying of the doctor.
Frankly, one shot to the head sounds a lot more humane than partial-birth abortion. But hey, that’s just me.
I’d be happy to sit and happy to convict. We are a nation of laws and NOT a nation of theocrats. Right now, abortion is legal in this country. If you don’t like the law, then work within the law to change the law. But, your moral beliefs aren’t license to murder someone with whom you disagree. If we go down that road - and endorse it, as you seem to be doing - then we might as well start dressing in bedsheets with diapers on our heads, because we will have become just like the Jihadists so many hate.
I don’t believe that it was right to kill the abortionist, but the abortionist certainly got what was coming to him.
He isn't any more or less guilty than those responsible for a million baby murders per year. Where's your call to lock them up?
Yeah.
Wonder how many abortions were interrupted/cancelled as a result of this.
Guess you could say he accomplished his mission.
Left-wing pro-lifer.
Absolutely incorrect. The jury sits in judgment of the accused - more precisely, in judgment of the state's case against the accused - and are instructed, without equivocation, to follow the law, not to evaluate its merit.
If you're arguing for jury nullification, you're no different than the idiotic racists who acquitted OJ Simpson.
Just for arguments sake, assume the jury found him innocent because he was in fact defending the lives of the unborn. How may doctors could you find that would be willing to perform late term abortions if the doctors could be terminated with extreme prejudice?
"...a time to obey man, a time to obey God...."
Not postulating that this condones the murder, but, on the other hand, it sort of vaporizes your argument.
Wasn't against Germany's laws to kill Jews either.
If you really think what you did was right despite the law, you would stop trying to weasel-out and would go to prison like a man.
Its always fun to view your posts.You are so predictable.
You know, that is a perfectly reasonable conclusion.
This man might be a saint.
The prosecution would not want me on that jury.Ditto.
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