In case you haven't already read:
WICHITA, Kan. – A man who murdered one of the few U.S. doctors who performed late-term abortions lashed out at the court during his sentencing hearing Thursday and took the opportunity to describe abortion procedures in detail, which he was previously forbidden from doing during the trial.
Scott Roeder, 52, accused Sedgwick County District Judge Warren Wilbert of "duplicity" and said his trial was a miscarriage of justice because he wasn't allowed to present testimony about the evils of abortion. He said the deaths of a few providers like Dr. George Tiller must be weighed against the millions of abortions that have been performed.
"I stopped him so he could not dismember another innocent baby," Roeder said. "Wichita is a far safer place for unborn babies without George Tiller."
Roeder has admitted gunning down Tiller in the back of Tiller's Wichita church last May. He faces a mandatory life prison sentence, and Wilbert must decide whether to make him eligible for parole after 25 or 50 years. The judge indicated during the hearing that there appeared to be enough evidence to qualify Roeder for the harsher of the two sentences.
Roeder was barred from describing abortion procedures during the testimony portion of his trial. Abortion is legal in Kansas, and prosecutors were careful not turn the trial into a referendum on abortion.
On Thursday, Roeder told the court that Tiller "dismembered living children with the nod of approval from the state."
He said God's judgment against the U.S. will "sweep over this land like a prairie wind."
"He will avenge every drop of innocent blood," Roeder said.
Earlier Thursday, Lee Thompson, who was Tiller's friend and attorney and still represents the Tiller family, asked Wilbert to give Roeder the harshest sentence possible, saying anything less would encourage other anti-abortion fanatics to follow in Roeder's footsteps.
"It will happen again and again," Thompson said. "This is domestic terrorism. This act will be repeated by this person if he ever sees the light of day again."
Thompson described Tiller as a devoted husband, father and grandfather and a strong believer in women's rights. He said his office still receives calls from women seeking medical services. As he spoke, Tiller's widow Jeanne cried. Roeder at times looked away, yawned and took a drink of water.
"The impact of his death on women throughout the world is like an earthquake," Thompson said. "They ask, where can I go? What will I do?' I have to say, 'I'm sorry, I can't tell you.' That's the impact of this crime."
More at: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100401/ap_on_re_us/us_abortion_shooting_24
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