Roeder defends his killing of George Tiller at sentencing

Mcclatchy ^ | 4.1.10

[trumandogz]

WICHITA, Kan. — The judge considering the sentence of Scott Roeder, convicted of murdering abortion provider George Tiller, on Friday stopped Roeder from continuing to read a written statement after 40 minutes, saying "It is your opportunity to convince me you need a lesser sentence. It is not a soapbox for your political views."

[Lurker]

I am personally opposed so shooting people who make their living by murdering unborn children.

But, I also don’t feel it’s right to impose my morality on others.

[doc1019]

Thank you for your response. Now your comment makes sense to me. Again, thanks for taking the time to explaining it to me.

Not that it would matter to you, coming from a drive by questioner, but I agree with you 100%.

[SoldierDad]

You’re welcome. And, your opinion does matter, whether you agree or not.

[Melas]

It’s really all academic. The judge didn’t really have a lot of practical discretion here. The minimum he could have given Roeder was 25 years to life, and instead he gave him 50 years to live. The truth is that at his age going in, he wasn’t coming out alive anyway.

[tacnuke]

If you believe late term abortion is murder, you can't be critical of the actions taken by Scott Roeder. You can't be critical any more than you can be critical of John Brown and his passionate desire to snuff out the scourge of slavery. Some day the grandchildren of our grandchildren will look back at us and wonder how we could allow unborn children to be discarded like trash. If slavery was America's original sin, what is abortion?

[pyx]

I do not have such data at my disposal. However, Kansas is a law and order state and I doubt they typically give light prison sentences to those who commit premeditated murder and Roeder got what he deserved.

This now twice you have not given straightforward answers to my specific questions. I appreciate you don't have the data at your disposal. However, the sentencing difference of 25 years for what appears to be an unsatisfactory political opinion makes me wonder if its reasonable for the judge in this particular case, to have that amount of latitude in his decision making authority. The sentencing options seemed to be 25 years or 50 years.

Incidentally, unless I am mistaken, a convicted felon typically has 2/3 of his sentence reduced for good behavior. That would mean Scott Roeder would actually serve a bit more than 16 and a 1/2 years of a 50 year sentence if he gets good behavior. If I am correct about the 2/3 time reduced, then this would mean a 53 year old Scott Roeder may be paroled when he is close to 70 years old and not 103 years old as you state. Therefore, Scott Roeder may not die in jail.

[trumandogz]

If Roeder had walked into a church in my home state of Texas and with premeditation killed someone, they would be strapping him to a gurney and jamming a needle in his arm.

And your view that people convicted of First Degree Murder and Aggravated Assault should only serve 16 1/2 years is a bit troubling.

[trumandogz]

If you believe late term abortion is murder, you can't be critical of the actions taken by Scott Roeder.

Not only do I believe that late term abortion is murder, but I believe that any type of abortion that takes place after the moment of conception is also murder. And I am not willing to say that one murder is worse than another murder simply based on the age of the baby.

So according to you, if the murder of Tiller was justified, than one could also justifiably murder a doctor who performs first trimester abortions, a doctor who implants IUD's, a doctor who prescribes birth control pills, a pharmacist who dispenses the Abortion Pill, the UPS driver who delivers abortion pills to women's homes or a woman who is about to have an abortion.

[pyx]

And your view that people convicted of First Degree Murder and Aggravated Assault should only serve 16 1/2 years is a bit troubling.

Either you're a bit thick or you're purposefully twisting what I've asked and stated. I don't set sentencing guidelines. I don't set time served in prison. I don't calculate served time and good behavior. I don't work for the government nor am I a lawyer. If you re-read my questions and statements thus far, I've only requested information and stated what I have been told.

I haven't stated what people should and should or should not serve when they are convicted of first degree murder. Clear now ?

[rwfromkansas]

It’s still murder, a capital crime in Scripture.

It would be difficult to give him 50 years because of my feelings on Tiller, but I can understand the jury doing so.

The ends don’t justify the means.

[tacnuke]

I would agree that any intentional termination of a pregnancy after conception is the senseless elimination of a human life, or “murder” in common vernacular.

I never said the “murder” of Tiller was justified. I only said that if you are in the camp that is saying “late term abortion is murder”, then criticizing Roeder would render your argument intellectually dishonest.

Finally, why stop with doctors, pharmacists, or UPS drivers? As Americans we are all guilty of supporting a government that allows this to happen.

Agree with Roeder or not, at least he has a clear conscience.

[Paddy Irish]

I remember when Mr. Roeder was arrested, it was almost as if the police knew exactly where to find him. Just a few minutes after he was arrested reports started to surface that child pornography was found on his home computer. That was reported for the first couple of days and then it faded away, like it was all forgotten? I will bet had he really had child porn on his PC it would have been mentioned over and over again at his trial. That was not true, but was cleverly used by the folks in our government and media to send a scare message, and to smear him. There was never any doubt that Mr. Roeder would be senteced to a long term in jail, probably life. Why not let the rest of the Kansas prison population think he’s a child molester? I’ve read comments on sites like Yahoo by people that hope there is prison justice for Mr. Roeder and it got me thinking:
By prison standards Scott Roeder should be a hero. Everybody knows that inmates hate child molesters, perverts, and anyone that hurts a child. Well there is no evidence that Mr. Roeder has ever hurt a child. In fact Scott Roeder has probably saved dozens of childrens lives. He is responsible for bringing more kids into this world than any of us! The inmates should celebrate and respect Scott. Remember no butcher has stepped up to take his place in what was the last bastion of late term abortion in Kansas.

[DoughtyOne]

We’re in agreement here. Thanks for your comments.

[trumandogz]

Agree with Roeder or not, at least he has a clear conscience.

And sometime in April of the year 2060 when he sees the parole board for the first time, Scott will have an other chance to tell us that he has a clear conscience.

[Christian_Capitalist]

It’s still murder, a capital crime in Scripture. It would be difficult to give him 50 years because of my feelings on Tiller, but I can understand the jury doing so. The ends don’t justify the means.

That's exactly right.

Vigilante killing is, according to Scripture, still Murder; unless and until all organized administration of justice has become totally corrupt.

In a sane world, Tiller should have been sentenced to death for the unborn infants he killed.
But it would also have been appropriate to sentence Roeder to death, for unilaterally taking that Justice into his own hands to deliver.

Very good post.

[cantbetooconservative]

he is