Scott Roeder Facing Life in Prison
Amy Harding
Issue date: 2/4/10 Section: News
There have been numerous anti-abortion activists who have made threats against Dr. George Tiller, Wichita abortion specialist, but none have gone as far as Scott Roeder.
Scott Roeder, 51, was found guilty of gunning down Dr. Tiller in May of 2009 in the foyer of Reformation Lutheran Church. The jury deliberated a mere 37 minutes on January 29 before reaching their verdict. Roeder is facing first-degree murder charges and possible life in prison.
Dr. Tiller was accused of performing illegal late-term abortions and was later acquitted on March 27, 2009. When Roeder heard of this, he was frustrated by the outcome, feeling that it was up to him to stop Dr. Tiller from continuing his work. Roeder believed it was up to him to save the lives of future unborn babies.
"There was nothing being done, and the legal process had been exhausted, and these babies were dying every day. I felt that if someone did not do something, he [Dr. Tiller] was going to continue," said Roeder.
Roeder said he had no regrets.
Dr. Tiller's family believed the jury reached a just verdict, saying in a written statement, "At this time we hope that George can 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 as a husband, father and grandfather."
Prosecutors tried to keep the abortion issue out of the trial at first, claiming that Tiller's death was simply a case of premeditated murder, but the abortion issue soon became the topic of debate. Roeder is from Topeka, Kansas and was seen several times at the Wichita church before he shot Tiller in the head with a .22-caliber Taurus pistol.
Some church-goers testified that they attempted to give Tiller mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, while others followed Roeder into the church parking lot, where Tiller then threatened to shoot them. Roeder was also convicted of aggravated assault with the threats he made to church ushers Gary Hoepner and Keith Martin.
During the trial, Roeder said, "He's been stopped," intending for the jury and Judge Warren Wilbert to view the case as voluntary manslaughter. If he was convicted of this lesser offense, which is, "an unreasonable but honest belief that circumstances existed that justified deadly force," he would have been set free from prison after five years.
Judge Wilbert, however, did not view the case as Roeder had intended. Roeder is due to be sentenced on March 9.
Scott Roeder, 51, was found guilty of gunning down Dr. Tiller in May of 2009 in the foyer of Reformation Lutheran Church. The jury deliberated a mere 37 minutes on January 29 before reaching their verdict. Roeder is facing first-degree murder charges and possible life in prison.
Dr. Tiller was accused of performing illegal late-term abortions and was later acquitted on March 27, 2009. When Roeder heard of this, he was frustrated by the outcome, feeling that it was up to him to stop Dr. Tiller from continuing his work. Roeder believed it was up to him to save the lives of future unborn babies.
"There was nothing being done, and the legal process had been exhausted, and these babies were dying every day. I felt that if someone did not do something, he [Dr. Tiller] was going to continue," said Roeder.
Roeder said he had no regrets.
Dr. Tiller's family believed the jury reached a just verdict, saying in a written statement, "At this time we hope that George can 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 as a husband, father and grandfather."
Prosecutors tried to keep the abortion issue out of the trial at first, claiming that Tiller's death was simply a case of premeditated murder, but the abortion issue soon became the topic of debate. Roeder is from Topeka, Kansas and was seen several times at the Wichita church before he shot Tiller in the head with a .22-caliber Taurus pistol.
Some church-goers testified that they attempted to give Tiller mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, while others followed Roeder into the church parking lot, where Tiller then threatened to shoot them. Roeder was also convicted of aggravated assault with the threats he made to church ushers Gary Hoepner and Keith Martin.
During the trial, Roeder said, "He's been stopped," intending for the jury and Judge Warren Wilbert to view the case as voluntary manslaughter. If he was convicted of this lesser offense, which is, "an unreasonable but honest belief that circumstances existed that justified deadly force," he would have been set free from prison after five years.
Judge Wilbert, however, did not view the case as Roeder had intended. Roeder is due to be sentenced on March 9.
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