Roeder Sentenced to LIfe, No Parole for 50 Years
by Amanda Marcotte, RH Reality Check
April 1, 2010 - 6:52pm (Print)
This article was amended at 12:24 am, Friday, April 2nd, 2010 to clarify the sentence given to Scott Roeder.
Late this afternoon, a judge sentenced Scott Roeder to life imprisonment-- with eligibility for parole only after 50 years--for the murder of Dr. George Tiller. That brings to a close this year-long story of anti-choice terrorism and heartache for the family and friends of Dr. Tiller.
Julie Burkhart, co-worker of the slain Dr. George Tiller, reacts to the sentencing of his killer Scott Roeder, and expresses her concern that inflammatory rhetoric surrounding issues like abortion will continue to incite violence. Read Julie's feature on the Nebraska abortion ban here...
The attorney for the Tiller family Lee Thompson spoke fondly of Dr. Tiller, both as his lawyer and as his friend. He compared the slaying to other forms of hate crimes such as anti-gay or racially motivated killings. Radical anti-choicers were brought in to be character witnesses for Scott Roeder, a questionable move from a defense attorney, but probably the only shot the defense had at getting anyone to speak well of Scott Roeder, who has been thoroughly exposed as a fringe right wing paranoid.
Roeder didn’t do well for himself, occasionally speaking out of turn. In the prepared statement he read, he trotted out more of his paranoia and accused the slain doctor of murder in front of Tiller’s family and friends. He also criticized the judge’s handling of the trial.
Julie Burkhart, a colleague of Dr. Tiller's and former executive director of ProKanDo, is scheduled to appear on Rachel Maddow’s program tonight to speak about the sentencing. Burkhart now runs TrustWomen PAC, and wrote an article yesterday about protecting women's choices for RH Reality Check.
We can hope it ends here. Unfortunately, anti-choice activists, while disingenuously decrying terrorism, have already moved on to targeting other doctors, especially Dr. Leroy Carhart of Nebraska, who has gallantly tried to provide the kinds of late term abortions Dr. Tiller specialized in. Late term abortions must be medically indicated; most of these abortions involve fetal abnormalities, threats to the mother’s health, or serious rape or incest cases.
Other coverage of Dr. Tiller can be found at these links:
Mercy Abortions: What Dr. Tiller Did
The Murder of Dr. Tiller: A Foreshadowing
In Memory of Dr. Tiller: A Tireless Supporter of Women's Dignity
Scott Roeder Found Guilty in Murder of Dr. Tiller
Follow Amanda Marcotte on Twitter, @amandamarcotte
Late this afternoon, a judge sentenced Scott Roeder to 50 years in prison with no possibility of parole for the murder of Dr. George Tiller.
Pursuant to minimum mandatory sentencing, he was sentenced to life imprisonment. The only issue in sentencing was how soon he would be eligible for parole. The judge decided on 50 years [ie, he has no possibility for parole in the first 50].
So the accurate recitation of this fact is either
He was sentenced to life imprisonment with eligibility for parole in 50 years.
He was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole until 50 years.
I wish the judge didn't let that asshole speak. Listening to him tell LIES about abortion procedures and listening to him spout off his other ramblings really made my blood boil. I know this makes me no better than he, but I hope he gets his just-desserts in prison.
Let him talk. I wouldn't say it was lies as much as it was pants-on-head-asstarded craziness. What's worse is that Roeder's actions would be completely logical if any of the mainstream anti-choice leaders actually believed what came out of their mouths. I mean, if I thought that a bunch of babykillers were murdering perfect little cherubic children in a Holocaust of sadism, I would go Rambo on them too.
Roeder only said what Bill O'Reilly, Rush Limbaugh, the asshats at Operation Rescue, the Catholic Church, every politician here in Texas, etc say publically on a daily basis--so by extension, Roeder's rubbing his batshit insanity off on them.
Actually, nah...that's just wishful thinking.
I agree with Elyzabeth. He was at home with their movement, a logical conclusion of their hate. He's not just a loose maniac, he listened to their rhetoric, Tiller's blood is on the whole anti movement, and having him testify and character witnesses show that clearly. Hopefully someone will notice.
Scott Roeder was not following the Bible, The Catholic Church, or Bill O'Reilly. If you read the Bible and look at the 10 Commandments (i.e. The Law of Christ's Church - The Catholic Church), you will obviously read the commandment, "Thou Shalt Not Kill." So, Scott Roeder is mistaken if he believes he was following God's Law. The Catholic Church has never said in any of its Dogma that we don't have to follow this commandment.
As for Bill O'Reilly's comment calling Dr. Tiller - "The Baby Killer" - he was simply reporting on what "some" called Dr. Tiller. If you think Scott Roeder first heard Dr. Tiller be referred to as "The Baby Killer" from Bill O'Reilly you give O'Reilly far too much credit. Secondly, any person taking their orders from television, news, movies, sitcoms, etc. C'mon give me a break - you can't pin everything on what's said by talking heads or actors - that's crazy! We'd be locking up everyone on T.V. if that was the case.
Scott Roeder made his decision, and like anyone else, he is justifying that decision the best way he can. In reality there is no justification for taking another human being's life in cold blood even someone as wretched as Dr. Tiller "The (former) Baby Killer."
Scott Roeder made his decision, yes, but if you think that the rhetoric being bandied about by those who oppossed Tiller had nothing to do with it you're mistaken.
See, here's the thing--the more often you hear something, the more likely you are to believe it, especially if it fits your ideology. Abortion providers in general, and Tiller in particular, have been subject to verbal and other forms of harassment for years. When you've created a culture where a significant number of people say that so-and-so deserves to die, it doesn't matter that most of them don't mean it, or wouldn't do so themselves, because all it takes is one person with just the right personality to buy into that to cause, well, this.
Roeder didn't just believe Tiller needed to die. He believed it and was validated by a significant number of people saying exactly that, over and over, for years. This isn't a fringe thing--this is an on-going national discourse, and it's hard to avoid hearing the kinds of things Roeder needed to hear to justify his actions.
Words are more powerful than most people give them credit for.
If a lie is repeated loudly and constantly, does it become truth? In this case, yes, except it was a lot of lies.
Christian Scripture : "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor."
Reality: There is no witness too false for anti-choicers to bear in pursuit of their A4C (against abortion at any cost) agenda, no lie too brazen for them to tell.
They characterize Planned Parenthood as an abortion mill, when ~3% of its budget goes to abortion services. They say without qualification that women who use hormonal contraception are killing fetuses, when all hormonal contraceptives do is prevent ovulation (no ovum, no "moment of conception"). They say that women who have abortions sacrifice their future fertility, increase their risk of breast cancer, compromise their ability to love their mates, none of which stands up to scientific scrutiny. And on and on, lies upon lies upon lies.
In a recent example of unswerving dedication to lying for the A4C cause, the Archdiocese of Baltimore is suing the City of Baltimore to block implementation of a law that requires anti-choice "crisis pregnancy centers" to post the truth about what they do, that is, not refer women for abortion or birth control under any circumstances. If these people care anything about the Ten Commandments, I'm King of the Flying Aardvarks.
Full disclosure: I coined the term A4C on another blog, and I am suggesting we use it as a substitute for "pro-life". Anybody out there with me on that one?
It's a good one, but until it catches on, people are going to go, "huh?"
I call them forced-childbirthers."
Roeder used the bible as his vehicle for hatred and murder. Not much different than the Taliban or Al-Qaeda twisting Islam to use it to justify terrorism. He twisted and used Christianity to justify his heinous actions. Bill O'Reilly wasn't "simply reporting on what 'some' called Dr. Tiller." O'Reilly himself called Dr. Tiller a "baby killer." O'Reilly called him this numerous times. He spread vicious lies about Dr. Tiller to boost the ratings for his show. I'm not saying O'Reilly is at fault for Roeders actions but his hate-filled language and rhetoric certainly didn't put a halt to Roeder's actions either. I think the hate-filled rhetoric of the right spills over when women are bullied by "sidewalk counselors" when they seek reproductive health services. The Religious Right has normalized terrorizing doctors who perform abortions and women who seek these services. Roeder is a terrorist. He deserves to rot in prison for the rest of his life. Amen.
http://www.newshounds.us/2009/03/30/bill_oreilly_continues_to_smear_dr_tiller_and_insult_women.php
"even someone as wretched as Dr. Tiller "The (former) Baby Killer.""
Who exactly do you think Dr. Tiller's patients were, Truth? They were women who very much wanted their baby, but found out by tests available only late in the pregnancy that something was wrong with the baby. I don't mean "something wrong" as in Down's Syndrome where the child could have a decent life--I mean "something wrong" as in not having a brain. I mean "something wrong" as in the baby would have a short, painful life lasting only minutes past delivery.
Do you think that women faced with a heart-breaking reality like that should be forced to tough it out against their will? Don't misunderstand me, I have the utmost respect for women who choose to give birth so they can get a sense of closure to the horrible ordeal by holding their child before it passes. However, I would never tell any one how to grieve--and the facts are that if the baby is going to die (usually painfully) anyway, it should be up to the parents to decide how to manage the situation.
And also, Dr. Tiller's patients were women whose late-term fetuses had died and were breaking-down in their uteruses. There is so much legislation restricting this area of medical care, many doctors refused to remove the fetus's corpses from the women's bodies. If you had a deteriotating corpse inside your body and no one besides Dr. Tiller would dare to remove it, wouldn't that make Dr. Tiller a big damn hero to you?
Elyzabeth,
If Dr. Tiller is your hero, I will pay for your initial consultation with a psychiatrist. You think the 60,000 babies Dr. Tiller aborted were all going to die anyway? Please look at the truth.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mviFMpy_sBU
Phill Kline is a hero.
Phil Kline is a panty sniffing perv.
I'd pay double that to get you to see a psychaiatrist. Dr. Tiller is a hero. He risked his life everyday to help women in dire situations.
someone as wretched as Dr. Tiller "The (former) Baby Killer."
Oh, so a man who is compassionate enough to help a woman with a FATALLY ILL fetus is wretched now? A man who cried with these women, who gave these women a choice in how to proceed when faced with a DOOMED pregnancy is wretched now? Tiller DID NOT do late term abortions "just because", and if you believe that, then you're damn ignorant and that is pitiful.
Tiller aborted pregnancies with feoti who had NO CHANCE of survival outside the womb due to either having no brain, no kidneys, or having so many issues that it would die ever so painfully. Are you HONESTLY saying that these women who Tiller helped should have just "sucked it up" and carried to term, KNOWING their babies would never survive birth or would die in horrible agony after birth?
If you say yes to that, then you are FAR more cruel than you and your ilk CLAIM we are.
Anti-choice activists actually condemn murder when they stop picking targets for terrorists to hit.
Anti-choice activists actually condemn murder when they stop picking targets for terrorists to hit.
Precisely. I've made this point several times to the 'common ground' folks. As long as folks in the anti-choice movement keep calling abortion 'murder' and those who are pro-choice are called 'baby killers' there will be unbalanced people (much like several of the folks who post here) willing to kill, bomb, commit arson, assault and the other felonies associated with the right wing terrorism of the anti-choice movement.
Be careful what you ask for - you might get it! If we limit the right Americans have to voice their opinion about people, organizations, etc. or their right to a peaceful protest then we cease to be a free society.
People are always going to use good books, like the Bible or Koran, to commit evil or justify their wrongdoings - this doesn't mean we ban those works, right? We will always have the extreme right wing and the extreme left wing - you're not going to get rid of it.
Just be careful what you wish for because certain "hate crimes" legislation is going to be the catalyst for taking our freedoms away from us. Maybe not even in our lifetimes, but these types of laws are the same laws Hitler used to silence and eventually kill the Jews.
Nothing personal here Truth (because I don't know you) but I get a little miffed when people start throwing around terms like Jews, Hitler, and/or the Holocaust in an effort to compare or contrast issues related to abortion. This is just WRONG! Seriously. And maybe you'll need to elaborate/clarify for me (cause I'm just not getting it) - but I just CANNOT see how hate crimes legislation is in ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM comparable to the laws Hitler enacted to disenfranchise members of the Jewish community. Seriously. I'm really not following here.
One set of laws is meant to prosecute people to the fullest extent possible for committing hateful crimes based on characteristics of an individual or group whereas the other set of laws were meant to blatantly violate civil rights based on characteristics of an individual or group. These two concepts are polar opposites. Seriously.
Contrary to some people's opinions and beliefs, the quality of one's argument isn't automatically improved or rendered untouchable simply by whipping out the Holocaust or Hitler as an example. In reality, doing so often just highlights the individual or group's ignorance as related to history.
I don't think anyone is arguing for restricting freedom of speech. I'm not an advocate for censorship and I'm not in favor of banning books or burning books, bible or otherwise. (Unless I need if for a campfire.)
People are responsible for their words and actions. If someone spews hate and lies, especially for a large nation-wide audience, they need to be responsible for what they say. Dr. Tiller was clearly a target of O'Reilly.
I'll bring the bible tracks that people insist on craming in my screen door-- We can make s'mores!
(Shakes fist at fundie. 'Hey! You'er tresspasing! Can't you read the sign? Get the 'f' otta my yard!' *grr* One showed up when I was chopping kindleing for the wood-burning stove and wanted to 'talk' to me-- She desided to leave-- Very quickly-- Never harrass a woman with a aittude and a (very large) hatchet in her hand *Slightly insane laughter*.) Man, they've gotten to know me real well around here-- There haven't been back! *Yes!* "Watch out for the purple haired lady *circles finger at temple in crazy motion*... Me, crazy? Nah, neurotic maybe...
Isn't that the point? Loudmouth TV commentator says over and over "somebody ought to kill that guy" and then when one of his followers "rids him of that pestilential" doctor, the loudmouth insists he didn't think anybody would take him seriously?
I don't see any reason to censor anybody's opinions about persons or organizations. I surely do see a need to censor attempts to incite a crime.
There is a huge difference between the statements "I hate Little Boy's burgers and think they're lousy" and "Little Boy's burgers are so bad all decent people want to pour gasoline over the kids at the counter and throw a match at them."
Loudmouth TV commentator says over and over "somebody ought to kill that guy" and then when one of his followers "rids him of that pestilential" doctor, the loudmouth insists he didn't think anybody would take him seriously?
Bingo. Sure, the majority of people won't, but as I said earlier, you only need one. And of course, I also have to wonder how many people truly believe Roeder did the right thing, and simply didn't have the guts to do it themselves? When you spew that type of language to that many people for that long, someone's eventually going to follow through.
Hate speech is vile and depicable! Stopping (or fineing/ jailing people) for hate speech would not stop freedom of speech. It would however more than likely make America a safer place to live for those who are the targets of hate.
Terrorising, harrassing, or bulling someone should NOT be labled a right under 'Freedom of speech' because it's not right. It's immoral-- And if I can get that as a near-atheist, who's got the better morals, hmm? Maybe the haters need to look at themselves a little closer and do some work on themeselves before they whine about people takeing away their 'freedom'. They just want to keep the freedom to denigrate others.
Just be careful what you wish for because certain "hate crimes" legislation is going to be the catalyst for taking our freedoms away from us. Maybe not even in our lifetimes, but these types of laws are the same laws Hitler used to silence and eventually kill the Jews.
Interesting. I wasn't aware Hitler passed laws against hate speech.
Troll.
Damn Emma, the man was one solid ranting hate speech! *shudders*
Damn Emma, the man was one solid ranting hate speech! *shudders*
I know, right! Good bloody god, that was a dumbass comment, even for Truth. How can one even have a discussion with someone so fucking pathologically dishonest?!
Is bearing false witness a hell-worthy offence??
In this day and age, one can and probably will hear (even if they don't want to) about every crazy comment one can imagine. I don't think we want to mute so very many. Secondly, even if we did how many would be indicted for the murder of Dr. Tiller?
I remember when Bush was president and there were many, many peaceful protests against his "War on Terror" and his "Anti-Gay" agenda, etc. that many were holding signs calling for his death. Now, let's say that Bush were assassinated - would you say that those protestors or the media that covered their protest and "aired" their signs saying, "Bush is the Disease and The Cure is Death," would have been responsible for the assassin's actions?
One of the things that made this country so successful was the idea of individual accountability. I'm not saying that O'Reilly and others couldn't have used better judgment in choosing their words, but they have the right to say virtually whatever they wish. If Roeder-types cannot discern for themselves right from wrong - even in a world where they may hear the most terrible, heinous, gruesome ideas - well...that is their problem. We will hold Roeder-types accountable if they are unable to properly discern for themselves reality.
Regarding Dr. Tiller's choice of business - did he not know the risks? I mean, if I sign up for the military should I not expect the possibility of being shot? Like it or not - abortion is the taking of an innocent life, period. You may justify the taking of this life (maybe even legalize it), but the fact remains that the innocent life is taken. Dr. Tiller knew the risks. Life and Death ladies and gentlemen - that is what we're dealing with here. That was the industry Dr. Tiller chose - that is the industry that took his life.
What you wrote, you rabid fanatic, was that 'these types of laws are the same laws Hitler used to silence and eventually kill the Jews', which is (a) factually inaccurate (i.e. not the Truth); and (b) based on possibly the worst slippery slope argument known to humanity.
Also. Victim-blaming is really unattractive, even if entirely predictable, coming from you.
Now go away, troll.
"Regarding Dr. Tiller's choice of business - did he not know the risks? I mean, if I sign up for the military should I not expect the possibility of being shot? Like it or not - abortion is the taking of an innocent life, period. You may justify the taking of this life (maybe even legalize it), but the fact remains that the innocent life is taken. Dr. Tiller knew the risks. Life and Death ladies and gentlemen - that is what we're dealing with here. That was the industry Dr. Tiller chose - that is the industry that took his life."
Oh I'm certain Dr. Tiller knew "the risks" if only because crazy fanatics continuously sent him death threats and harassed him, his family, and his employees. Yep, I'm sure he "knew the risks". But ANYBODY who would sit behind the security and anonymity of a computer screen and liken a medical professional performing a LEGAL MEDICAL PROCEDURE to the "risk" of being a soldier in the military is engaging in one of the most VILE forms of victim blaming I've heard in awhile.
Crazy people justice is exactly the "defense" that Roeder wasn't allowed to present because it's just that - CRAZY victim blaming. Guess what?! No remotely sane or intelligent individual is going to be okay with somebody else trying to present the same "defense" or excuse on a comment section of a REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH RIGHTS BLOG either. Particularly not where many of us see Dr. Tiller for the hero that he was and will continue to be in memory. Seriously.
Just in case you've somehow managed to miss it previously... TROLL TAKE YOUR CRAZINESS AND GO AWAY.
would you say that those protestors or the media that covered their protest and "aired" their signs saying, "Bush is the Disease and The Cure is Death," would have been responsible for the assassin's actions?
Yes.
If Roeder-types cannot discern for themselves right from wrong - even in a world where they may hear the most terrible, heinous, gruesome ideas - well...that is their problem.
Well, no, actually it turns out to be the problem in general for members of society who they shoot, bomb or blow up in airplanes.
Regarding Dr. Tiller's choice of business - did he not know the risks?
Dr. Tiller was a doctor. It is not, so far as I know, a normal risk of being a doctor to be assassinated, even if the doctor is providing abortions. Your assumption that it IS a normal risk shows just how far over the line you personally have wandered. 'Well, of COURSE somebody shot him and it's his own fault because he should have cooperated with the terrorists' is an extremist position.
Your assumption that it IS a normal risk shows just how far over the line you personally have wandered. 'Well, of COURSE somebody shot him and it's his own fault because he should have cooperated with the terrorists' is an extremist position.
Good fucking god, yes. It's a pretty horrifying statement, really. But then...do you remember just after GT was shot, Truth showed up here to tell us how thrilled ze had been to hear about the murder? It was vile.
Truth dear, Dr, Tiller was not breaking the law, Roeder DID break the law. Just because I think that what the CPC's are doing is wrong (and I do) it does not give me the right to blow them up or shoot the staff. Peacefully picket yes, harrass and threaten no-- But then I don't have a problem following the law.
And no, I will not follow YOUR god's laws, because I don't beleave in him. And no, I do not define abortion as murder. What happened to Dr. Tiller was murder.
You know, all you do here is troll, you never will change anyone's mind here you know, so why don't you blow if you can't do anything be an anoyance? You really aren't wellcome here. Why don't you go play at the pro-lifer sites with the other fundie nuts.
Yeah, yeah, I know, you will pray for me to see the truth... *rolls eyes* Whatever.
I was active in protesting the war in Iraq and don't recall having the national platform that Bill O'Reilly or other conservative commentators at Fox News had. We we're largely ignored and demonized by the mainstream press.
Regarding Dr. Tiller's choice of business - did he not know the risks? I mean, if I sign up for the military should I not expect the possibility of being shot?
So, providing reproduce services to women is akin to being in the military, being at war? That's really messed up and wrong. This shows how you think anyone involved in reproductive freedom should be treated, as being in a war.
Abortion IS NOT taking a life. A fetus is NOT a person. A woman has a right to decide to have or not have a child. Dr. Tiller trusted women and their decision about what was best for their health.
I will not be terrorized by people like Roeder. I will stand up for a woman's right to choose what happens to her body. Truth, you do NOT have the right to decide what happens to my body or any woman's body. If people like Roeder have to kill us to try to silence us than I guess that's the result of their hatred and inability to understand. I will put my life on the line to defend a woman's right to choose. I believe in freedom of choice that much. I think Dr. Tiller did too, and for that he will always be a hero to me.
