Scott Roeder

BREAKING: Roeder Found Guilty Of Murdering Dr. George Tiller

Justin Elliott | January 29, 2010, 12:06PM

Scott Roeder in court , January 29, 2010

A Kansas jury just found Scott Roeder guilty of first degree murder in the killing of abortion doctor George Tiller at his church last May.

The jury reportedly deliberated for less than hour. Roeder, an extremist anti-abortion activist, admitted on the stand that he killed Tiller.

Will Admitted Killer Of Abortion Doc Be Allowed To Put Abortion On Trial?

Justin Elliott | January 26, 2010, 11:30AM

Dr. George Tiller and Scott Roeder

Pro-choice groups fear a decision by the judge in the murder trial of abortion doctor George Tiller will essentially give defendant Scott Roeder a high-profile platform to argue that he was justified in killing Tiller last May.

In what one legal expert calls an "unprecedented" decision, Sedgwick County Judge Warren Wilbert two weeks ago declined to bar Roeder's lawyers from pursuing a defense based on "voluntary manslaughter" -- a lesser charge than first-degree murder that carries a sentence of roughly five years. Roeder faces a life sentence if convicted of murder.

But attorneys for pro-choice groups tell TPMmuckraker the real fear is not that Roeder will be convicted of the lesser crime, but that the judge's move sets a bad precedent, and could in essence put the issue of abortion and Tiller's practice on trial.

Anti-Abortion Activist Behind Auction For Roeder: For-Sale Items Do Not Glorify Violence

Justin Elliott | November 2, 2009, 1:46PM

Anti-abortion activist Regina Dinwiddie

Regina Dinwiddie, the Kansas anti-abortion activist who set up an eBay auction to benefit the suspect in the George Tiller murder, tells TPMmuckraker in a phone interview that she's angry that eBay pulled her items -- and that she believes they did not glorify violence, but rather "glorify the end of a very violent man."

"Actually I thought [eBay] was the last bastion of free enterprise in America, where normal people could put things up for sale," Dinwiddie told us. "I see they do have a political agenda."

Scott Roeder

Anti-Abortion Extremists Auction Lurid Prison Art On eBay To Raise Money For Tiller Murder Suspect

Justin Elliott | November 2, 2009, 9:51AM

Art for sale on eBay for Scott Roeder's legal defense.

Supporters of the man charged with the May killing of Kansas abortion doctor George Tiller are raising money for his legal defense through an eBay auction on items including prison art glorifying the murder and a commissary cookbook by the woman who is serving time for shooting Tiller in both arms in the early 1990s.

Allies of Scott Roeder want to hire a private lawyer who will use a so-called "necessity defense," arguing that the killing was justified.

(See a slideshow of the now-scrubbed items here.)

Auction organizer Dave Leach told the Kansas City Star, which first reported the auction, "I really am hopeful that eBay can see that once this is up, that it is not a glorification of violence."

But the items, like illustrations produced by a fellow inmate and signed by Roeder, do just that. One David-and-Goliath drawing shows a figure with a sling holding up a severed head labeled "Tiller" standing over a bloodied body labeled "Child Murdering Industry."

Torture

Torture Advocates Mum On Whether They Support Waterboarding Roeder

Zachary Roth | June 8, 2009, 2:18PM

For years now, torture supporters have been using the "ticking time-bomb" scenario to argue that it's irresponsible to issue a blanket ban on torture. If we knew that a bomb was set to explode imminently, goes the argument, and that torture could help obtain information to avert the disaster and save hundreds of lives, who wouldn't do it?

This has always borne more relation to an episode of 24 than to the actual war on terror. Even torture supporters have admitted that no such ticking time-bomb case has ever occurred. But it looks like we may now be confronted with a version of it in a very different context -- and this time, it's hard not to notice that those same torture supporters don't seem to be rushing to call for the waterboard just yet.

Media

Report: Before Congressional Run, Scarborough Represented Killer Of Abortion Doctor

Zachary Roth | June 5, 2009, 6:07PM

Over the last week, MSNBC has led the cable-news charge in covering the George Tiller murder -- and the questions it's raised about how implicated the wider anti-abortion movement is in the violence. Rachel Maddow, Keith Olbermann, and Chris Matthews have all covered the story -- Maddow with particular distinction. But until today, one MSNBC show has been conspicuous for its reluctance to touch this major story. That would be Morning Joe, hosted by Joe Scarborough.

This morning, Scarborough publicly addressed the story, for what appears to be the first time. But what he talked about was his own past ties to an anti-abortion killer. And his comments -- which seemed designed largely to minimize those ties -- appear to conflict with other reported facts about the incident.

FBI

Justice Department To Probe Tiller Killing

Zachary Roth | June 5, 2009, 3:34PM

The Justice Department has announced an investigation into whether federal crimes were committed in connection with the murder of Dr. George Tiller.

In a press release, DOJ writes that it will probe whether there were violations of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act or other federal statutes in the case.

FBI

FBI 9/11 Whistleblower: Bureau Dropped The Ball On Tiller Case

Zachary Roth | June 4, 2009, 5:51PM

We told you earlier about questions over whether the FBI responded aggressively enough to detailed information it got about Scott Roeder, who's charged with killing Kansas doctor George Tiller.

And one prominent former bureau veteran says the answer is no.

FBI

Before Tiller Murder, FBI Got Detailed Info On Roeder's Illegal Activity

Zachary Roth | June 4, 2009, 11:56AM

Earlier this week, we raised questions about whether the FBI acted aggressively enough after getting a tip about Scott Roeder, who's been charged with murdering Kansas doctor George Tiller.

And those questions are only getting louder. Last night, the abortion clinic worker who had provided that tip went on MSNBC's Rachel Maddow Show, where he laid out Roeder's various efforts to vandalize the clinic -- starting in 2000 and culminating the day before Tiller's murder -- as well as the detailed information that the FBI received about the incidents.

FBI

Did FBI Fail To Act On Roeder Tip?

Zachary Roth | June 2, 2009, 5:50PM

Did a failure of law enforcement help lead to the murder of Kansas doctor George Tiller?

Earlier today we told you about evidence that the FBI may have failed to follow up on a tip it got about Scott Roeder, who this afternoon was charged with Tiller's killing. CNN reported that, just a day before Tiller was slain, a worker at a Kansas abortion clinic had seen Roeder trying to tamper with the building's locks, and reported the incident to the Feds. He said he was told in response that the bureau couldn't do anything unless a grand jury was convened.

Scott Roeder

Roeder Called Himself "Citizen Of The Republic Of Kansas"

Zachary Roth | June 2, 2009, 11:49AM

Yet more details about the extremist background of Scott Roeder, the suspect in the George Tiller murder.

USA Today reports that Roeder "called himself a citizen of the Republic of Kansas who didn't want to pay income or Social Security taxes or register his car."

Right-wing extremism

Source: Roeder Tried To Vandalize Abortion Clinic Saturday

Zachary Roth | June 2, 2009, 10:01AM

It looks like Scott Roeder, the suspect on the murder of George Tiller, was targeting other abortion providers in the days before Tiller's slaying Sunday.

A worker at a clinic in Kansas City, Kansas at which Roeder regularly demonstrated told CNN that early Saturday morning, he "actually chased after" Roeder after catching him trying to pour epoxy into the facility's locks two weekends in a row.

Scott Roeder

Tiller Suspect "Suffered From Mental Illness"

Zachary Roth | June 1, 2009, 2:41PM

Scott Roeder, the suspect in the George Tiller murder, had suffered from mental illness in the past, according to his family.

In a statement to the Topeka Capital-Journal, Roeder's brother Dave Roeder said:

Scott Roeder

Tiller Murder Suspect's Wife: He Was Involved In "A Lot Of Anti Stuff"

Zachary Roth | June 1, 2009, 1:03PM

Here's a bit more on Scott Roeder, the suspect in the George Tiller murder. Wichita, Kansas-based KAKE reached Roeder's ex-wife by phone.

According to the woman, who asked that her name not be used, the two have been divorced since 1996, and have a 22-year-old son together. The woman said that one reason for the couple's split was what she called Roeder's radical views. It was in 1996 that Roeder was charged for having bomb-making materials in his car.

Scott Roeder

Tiller Murder Suspect's Ties To Right-Wing Extremism

Zachary Roth | June 1, 2009, 12:10PM

So who is Scott Roeder, the suspect in the George Tiller murder?

The 51-year-old resident of Merriam, Kansas has a record as a fanatical anti-abortion activist, who had made at least one other threat against an abortion provider. And he also has had ties to the a violent right-wing extremist group that came to prominence in the 1990s.

TPMMuckraker Scott Roeder

Justin Elliott | January 29, 2010, 12:06PM

Justin Elliott | January 26, 2010, 11:30AM

Justin Elliott | November 2, 2009, 1:46PM

Justin Elliott | November 2, 2009, 9:51AM

Zachary Roth | June 8, 2009, 2:18PM

Zachary Roth | June 5, 2009, 6:07PM

Zachary Roth | June 5, 2009, 3:34PM

Zachary Roth | June 4, 2009, 5:51PM

Zachary Roth | June 4, 2009, 11:56AM

Zachary Roth | June 2, 2009, 5:50PM

Zachary Roth | June 2, 2009, 11:49AM

Zachary Roth | June 2, 2009, 10:01AM

Zachary Roth | June 1, 2009, 2:41PM

Zachary Roth | June 1, 2009, 1:03PM

Zachary Roth | June 1, 2009, 12:10PM

Follow us!

Most Popular

TPM Top News

TPMMuckraker
Scott Roeder