I misjudged Kansans.

[Bicoastal]

Not only did the jury take no time at all to convict, but when I went to the Wichita Eagle site to read user comments, I was pleasantly surprised:

The comments were overwhelmingly in favor of the verdict. Only one or two expressed any sympathy or justification for Roeder, and these were immediately shouted down.

Again, it may not mean anything in the wide-open space of the Internet, but I was expecting a whole lot worse. It's a lesson to me that even people in deep red states know a murderer when they seen one.

[Warpy]

1. Kansans threw the worst of the fetus police out in the last few elections

which is why the zealots persuaded a numbskull like Roeder to do their dirty work for them. Now that he's been convicted and he realizes they were all lying to him about what a hero he'd be, maybe he'll roll over on them. That's a big maybe, though.

In any case, prosecutors are pretty good at spotting hostile jurors even if they try to lie their way onto the panel.

The jury really had no choice in this case. The dope confessed to premeditated murder on the stand. All murderers can come up with justification for their crime. Juries seldom buy it.

[RaleighNCDUer]

3. It would be so nice if he was to roll over on Operation Rescue, directly

implicate them in the planning, in order to get a lighter sentence.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

5. Nutcases rarely do that....

But who knows? Maybe a month or two in jail prior to sentencing will get him to think about his own best interests.

[spanone]

2. they really had no choice but to convict...he admitted it was premeditaed..no regrets

[Octafish]

4. Kansans are GREAT people.

As good as any in the world.

Full Disclosure: My nephew attends Kansas State University, I am proud to say.

[leftyladyfrommo]

6. Most Kansans are embarrassed by the acts of the far right wing

Lots of Republicans in Kansas but many of them are also important business people. They are not rightwing nut cases.

[scheming daemons]

8. I just wish they'd stop electing Republicans across the board

[donheld]

7. k & R