Manslaughter Defense Possible In Abortion Killing

[proud2BlibKansan]

WICHITA, Kan. -- A man accused of killing one of the nation's few late-term abortion providers can try to build a case that the slaying was voluntary manslaughter because he sincerely believed it was necessary to save unborn babies, a Kansas judge ruled Friday.

Scott Roeder, 51, of Kansas City, Mo., is charged with one count of first-degree murder in Dr. George Tiller's death and two counts of aggravated assault for allegedly threatening two ushers who tried to stop him during the May 31 melee in the foyer of the doctor's Wichita church. Roeder has pleaded not guilty and his trial begins Monday.

Roeder faces life imprisonment if convicted of first-degree murder. A voluntary manslaughter conviction could bring a prison term closer to five years, depending on prior criminal record.

Voluntary manslaughter is defined in Kansas law as "an unreasonable but honest belief that circumstances existed that justified deadly force."

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The Feminist Majority Foundation, which supports abortion rights, said that despite his repeated rejections of the necessity defense, Wilbert is essentially allowing Roeder to present a justifiable homicide defense.

"It is unconscionable and it is unjustifiable," said Katherine Spillar, the group's executive vice president. "We fear it will simply embolden anti-abortion extremists and it will be open season on doctors."

more . . . http://www.kctv5.com/news/22188439/detail.html

[no_hypocrisy]

1. To accept that defense is a free ticket to murder anyone you believe is immoral according

to your religious beliefs.

[Archae]

2. WHAT??!!??

Roeder tries to destroy Tiller's place of work, stalks Tiller, walks up to him IN CHURCH, shoots Tiller and threatens others, and that's "voluntary manslaughter?"

:wtf:

I guess then the underwear bomber can be charged with attempted voluntary manslaughter. :eyes:

[Lars39]

3. Judge Wilbert is an idiot.

[proud2BlibKansan]

6. Not really

He denied the necessity defense Roeder was asking for.

[hayu_lol]

4. Good luck to Roeder on his claims of innocent and manslaughter...

Seems that there was a fair amount of premeditation and preparation in his efforts.

[proud2BlibKansan]

5. Also remember a jury in Wichita acquitted Dr Tiller

just a few weeks before he was murdered.

I honestly don't believe Roeder will be acquitted.

[Archae]

7. But what will he be convicted of?

What is the sentence for voluntary manslaughter?

A few years at best?

Then he gets out, and goes on the violent "pro-life" lecture circuit, like that crazy bitch who shot Tiller in both arms.

[proud2BlibKansan]

10. I'm hoping this defense won't fly

and that the good people of Wichita will convict him of 1st degree murder.

Don't know the penalty for manslaughter. I'll have to look that up.

There is also a move to try Roeder under federal charges. So he isn't going anywhere soon.

[discocrisco01]

25. Presumptive

I think Roder would get 50 to Life.

[tonysam]

8. Roeder needs a cell adjoining Eric Rudolph's

at Florence ADMAX. He's a terrorist.

[proud2BlibKansan]

11. So they can pat each other on the back?

No thanks.

[Generic Other]

9. Well I guess all the terrorists will want to be tried in his court!

Mr. Underpants Bomber honestly believed blowing up US planes was justified under the circumstances too!

How in the heck do you stand it P2BK? Under this judge's reasoning, killing him could arguably be called voluntary manslaughter!

This stuns me.

[proud2BlibKansan]

12. I don't think it will fly

My friends in Wichita tell me the movement to shut down the anti-choice movement has grown exponentially since Dr Tiller was murdered. He was actually loved in Wichita.

And here in KC, their numbers (the anti-choicers) have decreased since May. There are two guys at our area clinic protesting and there used to be dozens every week.

There is also a good chance Roeder will be brought up on federal charges following his trial. The death penalty is attached to those charges.

[FreakinDJ]

13. He is "Grandstanding on Supposed Christian Vlues"

Hoping the "Moral Majority" (more like Immoral Minority) rises up and comes to his rescue

"Can I get a Trent Lott - I say amen"

Good Luck with that 1

[Solly Mack]

14. Fine. So if someone were to start killing the anti-abortion crowd to save the lives

of doctors, nurses and patients, then that would also be an allowable defense. And since you never know when one of the anti-abortion crowd will murder someone....better safe than sorry.


If anyone reading this seriously needs a disclaimer then you truly need to seek help.

[Odin2005]

15. WTF!?!

[livetohike]

16. B.S.!! It's pre-meditated murder

How can this stand? The judge needs removed from the bench, imo.

[proud2BlibKansan]

17. No. He has made several good rulings in this case

Roeder won't have a chance to appeal. I believe that is what the judge has in mind :shrug:

[livetohike]

18. I hope so.....I can't imagine the jury taking more than five

minutes to deliberate this one :-).

[11 Bravo]

19. I can. It's Kansas.

[proud2BlibKansan]

21. Nice slam

Actually Wichita is pretty Democratic. And a jury there acquitted Dr Tiller just a month or so before his murder. Actually that acquittal is most likely what sent Roeder over the edge and motivated him to murder Dr Tiller.

Not everyone in Kansas is a right wingnut. We do have our share but we also have a growing progressive community here.

[ismnotwasm]

20. If I felt the need of a lengthy shower

Which I don't, I'd mosey over to a so-called 'pro-life'(the new oxymoron) site to see how just how gleeful they are about this.

Fucking assholes.

[proud2BlibKansan]

22. Hey check this out! I went looking for comments on our local paper and found this:

LRoeder wrote on 1/8/2010 11:15:58 PM:

I am so very weary of hearing how Scott "acted in defense of the unborn." If Scott cares so much for the "unborn" wouldn't you assume he cares for the "born" children? Then why from 1996 until 2005 did I continually have to fight for child support? Nothing outlandish a little less then $140.00 per month. Scott worked--but paying child support was not a concept he grasped. I have the court records to prove this as well. I have letters in his own hand writing to his 10 year old child at the time that he was "thinking" about paying child support. So now he acted in defense of the unborn but didn't give a damn about his own child.

http://www.kansascity.com/news/breaking_news/story/1672142.html

[ismnotwasm]

23. Oho!

That suprises me not at all. Thank you

[proud2BlibKansan]

24. She lives pretty close to me

and she was interviewed briefly right after the murder but has been out of the limelight since then.

I wonder if this is really her?

[jmowreader]

26. There's a difference between what he's trying and what will be allowed at the trial

The guy's guilty as shit. We all know that. It should be entertaining to watch Roeder try to justify Dr. Tiller's murder. You know he can't do it.

[47of74]

27. I hope this lights a fire under the Democratic party's ASS

And next time Judge Wilbert is up for reelection the Democrats in Wichita work damn hard to vote someone else in as judge.