All eyes will be on Wichita for the trial of Scott Roeder

[proud2BlibKansan]

The circus begins!

As the murder trial gets under way Monday for the man accused of gunning down Wichita abortion provider George Tiller, the world will be watching.

“This is a very, very high-profile trial,” said Kirk Longhofer, media coordinator for Sedgwick County District Court. “We’ve had as much, if not more, inquiry from national and even international media as any of the other big cases that have been tried here in the past 10 years.”

Remember, that includes the trial of the BTK serial killer.

“In Session” is airing the trial, which can be seen on the TruTV cable network from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

OMG! They actually think this trial could overturn Roe v Wade!?

Legal experts and people on both sides of the abortion issue will be closely monitoring the trial.

Some abortion opponents hope the trial will become a vehicle for overturning Roe v. Wade, the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion.

Didn't know this about Paul Hill. Very interesting.

“There is nothing good that comes out of people who believe it’s appropriate to murder doctors spending time together at a trial and figuring out who they should target next, encouraging each other to commit further acts of violence and celebrating this horrible murder,” said Vicki Saporta, president of the National Abortion Federation. “They’ve been communicating with Roeder; they’re communicating with each other at a high-pitch level. And they’re celebrating what they have been trying to do for more than a decade.”

Kathy Spillar, executive vice president of the Feminist Majority Foundation, said it’s not unreasonable to worry that an act of violence could be spurred by the trial. In 1994, she said, Paul Hill attended the trial of the woman who shot and wounded Tiller, publicly supporting her and saying the shooting was justified. Three months later, Hill killed an abortion doctor and his bodyguard in Florida.

I've been waiting for Regina to chime in! I wonder if she has been helping pad Roeder's bank account since he has been in jail.

Kansas City anti-abortion activist Regina Dinwiddie said she and her mother wouldn’t dream of missing the trial.

“If Scott’s public defenders would really get on fire for this and put the truth about Tiller’s practice in the record, this trial has the potential to overturn Roe versus Wade,” she said.

http://www.kansascity.com/637/story/1673642.html

[proud2BlibKansan]

1. Wow. Check out these comments posted by someone claiming to be Roeder's ex-wife:

LRoeder wrote on 1/10/2010 10:53:45 AM:

Scott professes he cares deeply for the unborn, Scott, or any man for the matter, has no idea what it feels like to carry a child for nine months. Scott does know what it is like to hold and cuddle his newborn son. The same son he walked out on--leaving him without food in the house or money to purchase food. Scott does know what it is like to tell his 10 year old son that he won't pay his child support. Scott was not out of work. Scott made a deliberate decision to not support his child. Scott made a decision to purchase a gun, determine where Dr.Tiller would be most vulnerable, made last visits to his family and drove to Wichita. Scott went into the church waited till everyone was seated and walked out to the lobby where he shot a man point blank. After his arrest Scott made another decision to write and tell his son what an ungrateful spoiled brat he thought he was. I have no doubt that Scott in his own way loves his son. The son that some of his friends and supporters knew nothing

LRoeder wrote on 1/10/2010 10:58:15 AM:

The son that some of his friends and supporters knew nothing about. "Didn't even know he had a son," was what one of them told me personally. So we have a man who could get off with manslaughter for a premeditated cold blooded murder. A man who has "given his life for the sake of the unborn." This same man could not support his own child with the basic needs. (Trust me I more than cared for my child.) This is the same man whose brother once accused him of being a "dead beat dad" in hopes that he would step up to the plate. This issue of child support was something my son and I had moved on from--it was over and long done. I understand that Scott felt he was "saving" lives of the unborn, just please explain why he could not provide for his son? signed Lindsey Roeder

http://www.kansascity.com/637/story/1673642.html

[defendandprotect]

16. misplaced --

[Catshrink]

30. armchair psychoanalysis:

Roeder feels guilty about abandoning his son so does this over the top "pro-life" act to compensate.

At any rate, he's proven himself to be a typical "pro-lifer" in that he only cares about "babies" in the womb, not after they're born.

[LRoeder]

34. Scott did not feel bad for abandoning son

Thank you for re--posting my comments here.  I disagree with
the idea of Scott overcompensating for his son.  This is the
same man that 16 days after the shooting sent us a letter
stating both our son and i were spoiled brats.  Told his son
that he was ungrateful and never said thank you for anything
Scott had son for him.  As early as 1993 when Scott and I were
still married he professed the justifiable ho9homicide theory
and supported Paul Hill.  Scott' "Causes and political
agenda" take importance over his child.  Scott shows no
remorse for the murder or not providing properly for his son.

[Hawkeye-X]

35. Welcome to DU..

May your stay be warm and happy.

I cherish my son evry day, and would not think about leaving him.

Hawkeye-X

[Dappleganger]

36. I am so sorry for the trouble he brought into your lives

and hope that you both are able to find peace and support in the comfort of your families and friends.

[leftynyc]

37. Are you going to be a prosecution witness? (n/t)

[LRoeder]

38. witness

Both my son and I are on the witness list but have thankfully not been subpoenaed--at this late date I am not expecting to be.

[gratuitous]

2. Keep in mind these people are insane

We'll see if the judge is inclined to put up with their shenanigans or not. While Mr. Roeder and his accomplices would like nothing better than to turn this into a circus referendum on Roe v. Wade, that's not what the criminal case is about. Unless the judge decides to let the clowns run the trial in his or her courtroom, but judges are a funny bunch that way; they think they should run the trials in their courtroom.

[proud2BlibKansan]

3. Oh I feel certain that Regina and her crew will try to pull some stunt.

That's their game - gathering all the attention they can.

[defendandprotect]

15. Agree . . . and the basis of it seems to be right wing religion . . .

Odd how often religion brings murder to others!!

[gratuitous]

19. Or how often murderers hide behind religion

Hoping to dupe the gullible.

[defendandprotect]

27. Yes . . .

[jmowreader]

4. How, exactly, would this trial be the vehicle for overturning Roe?

What it has is the potential to be the vehicle for overturning this nation's laws against premeditated murder. All you'll have to do is you were afraid the victim was going to do something you didn't like and presto! Blowing his brains out is hunky-dory with them!

[proud2BlibKansan]

5. They are blinded by their zeal.

And their hate.

[blondeatlast]

14. I think its wishful thinking on their part. I can't see how on eartha murder trial could overturn

a SCOTUS decsion on privacy.

[greenbriar]

6. This will be a nightmare for our city

all kinds of activity from both sides that will solve nothing.

It really doesn't matter which side of this debate you are on, no one is justified for killing someone in a church and holding a gun to others including areas where there are kids around.

The man is nuts. Maybe he should use that defense.

[proud2BlibKansan]

7. What I find very revealing

is that Roeder failed to pay child support for his own child.

Now how can he claim to be pro-life and pro-baby and yet not take care of his OWN kid?

I'm hoping the prosecution jumps on that one.

[greenbriar]

8. Foulston, and Parker are a great team

they did a fanstastic job on the Carr Brother's trial. I am sure they will be very complete

[jmowreader]

29. He's neither pro-life nor pro-baby

Scott Roeder is anti-abortion. That's what all these people are. Save the life of the unborn! But once your feet hit free air, kid, you're on your own.

[greenbriar]

9. Kirk Longhofer, media coordinator for Sedgwick County District Court

said it includes the "trial of BTK"

um, there was no BTK trial he allocuted, confessed all and never had to cost the taxpayers the money

[Canuckistanian]

10. This trial should NOT be a circus

It should be cut-and-dried. It was a cold-blooded, pre-planned murder in front of many witnesses.

I hope the judge isn't willing to entertain a lot of nonsense and irrelevant side issues.

[greenbriar]

11. I think he opened the door for a circus

last week there was an article that mentioned he might allow the jury to consider lesser charges.

It will be horrible for our city

[blondeatlast]

13. Do you think the prosecuition has its heart and soul in this? Are they fiercely

political?

I have many relatives in Wichita and they've kept me up to date on the proceedings but can't really tell me about the political climate.

[greenbriar]

18. Foulston is a bear

and has taught Parker well

[proud2BlibKansan]

22. And IIRC, she is a Democrat?

[greenbriar]

24. I think so

she is pretty hated by the weirdos

[proud2BlibKansan]

20. They handled Dr Tiller's trial well

And that was a hot bed of crazy.

[blondeatlast]

23. True that. apparently there wasn't much pressure from the top, either. nt

[proud2BlibKansan]

25. Well there was for awhile

When Phill Kline was our state AG he spent his entire 4 year term trying to shut down Dr Tiller. He couldn't get it done at the state level so he finally started pressuring the Wichita DA to charge Tiller. Right before Phill left office (he was beaten in his re-election bid) he filed a bunch of charges against Tiller. Those were thrown out and the Wichita DA and the new AG finally filed some misdemeanor charges. Tiller went to trial and was acquitted just a month or so before he was killed. Apparently his acquittal was what motivated Roeder to murder Tiller.

[FarLeftFist]

12. Can't wait to see the FOX news freakshow when this gets underway.

[defendandprotect]

17. Do you think that it is more or less of a problem that it will be seen on TV . . . ???

[proud2BlibKansan]

21. Most high profile trials are on TV these days, aren't they?

[defendandprotect]

26. Yes . . . BUT what do you think the effects will be of citizens watching on TV?

And the increased exposure?

IMO, it depends on how the Judge lets this go on -- ?

And if it is merely the trial or if it is anything like a circus atmosphere with

many commentators and/or a situation slanted towards the right???

[proud2BlibKansan]

28. Well I don't think anyone is going to change their mind one way or another

And the OR crazies will just look crazy on national TV.

And damn, I wish I could stay home and watch. LOL

[jmowreader]

31. Seriously, guys...

I expect the Operation Rescue people to try to make this the Kansas OJ Trial--a nine-month debacle that will ultimately lead to Roeder's acquittal.

There are, of course, some differences--starting with the simple fact Scott Roeder confessed to the murder!

But yeah, I expect all the major anti-abortion players to be there. Randall Terry, Flip Benham, Neil Horsley and his mule, even Brandi Swindell. And the term "Tiller the Killer" will be used frequently. Better, I expect major protests around all Kansas' abortion clinics if there are any left.

[ThomWV]

32. Its not on

[greenbriar]

39. This week is just jury selection

no trial yet

[ThomWV]

33. Did that 9:00 AM start time on True-TV refer to local time in Kansas?

There is a case on now concerning a shooting outside a bar.

[greenbriar]

40. Probably the media circus won't really start until jury is selected

until then, it will be just speculation