Whew! That was a close one!
Wichita, Kansas – A man gets up from his church pew and walks into the foyer, pulls out a .22 handgun, walks up to George Tiller, and pulls the trigger. There are about 250 witnesses. What would normally be an open and shut case of first degree murder has been complicated by the fact that George Tiller is a doctor that performs abortions. The Judge in the case has allowed defendant Scott Roeder to present a defense of voluntary manslaughter, essentially justifiable homicide.
Many groups around North America are weighing in on this trial, which began after prolonged jury selection, on the anniversary of the case that legalized abortion, Roe v. Wade. Don Spitz, a reverend from Chesapeake, spoke on behalf of the group ‘Army of God’, commending the Judge’s decision to allow the defense. As he see’s it, there might be people that would have shot doctors before, but were afraid of being punished; now, they might actually do it. Demonstrating once again that I sure hope the Roeder’s of the world don’t start hating something I do!
The end of the story? Truth be told, I’ve certainly been feeling a bit safer since Scott Roeder was found guilty of first degree murder. He was convicted of this offence after less than 40 minutes of jury deliberation – I guess it helps to have 250 witnesses and a jury that understands the difference between personal belief and what is legal.
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About Stacey: Stacey is a University of Regina grad in political science. She's interested in electoral politics, poverty, and how we all interact. In her day job, she works closely with industry in Saskatchewan. Personally, her interests range from critical race theory to particle physics and cooking. When she grows up, she wants to change the world! |
