Verdict in murder trial good news for America

There are two encouraging aspects to the guilty verdict against Scott Roeder, the unrepentant murderer of Dr. George Tiller, who was one of the few late-term abortion providers: One, the judge in the trial refused to let the jury consider a voluntary manslaughter plea; two, it took the jury only 37 minutes to return a guilty verdict on first-degree murder and two counts of aggravated assault.

Judge Warren Wilbert is to be commended for keeping his word that he would not turn the court proceedings into a clash over abortion. Had he permitted Roeder’s lawyers to argue in court that their client believed Dr. Tiller’s killing would save unborn children, the floodgates to other such strained defenses would have burst open.

As it is, some anti-abortion militants, outraged at the verdict, said they are tired of being treated as a “piece of dirt” unable to express the reasons for such acts of cowardice.

The only individuals being treated like dirt are physicians and others who provide legal abortions. And yet, the Roeders of the world, who claim to respect life, have no qualms about cold-blooded killing.

Such hypocrisy must not be supported by the courts. That is why last week’s conviction in state court in Wichita, Kan., is so important. It serves as a warning to other potential killers who would act under the guise of preserving life.

“Many of those who came here in his support will be key in making [Roeder] a martyr for their cause — all in furtherance of advocating deadly violence,” said Kathy Spillar, executive vice president of the Feminist Majority Foundation.

Legitimate concern

Spillar’s concern is not without justification. Consider this comment from the Rev. Donald Spitz of Chesapeake, Va., who runs the Army of God Web site supporting violence against abortion providers:

“I know there is not a lot of good feeling out there — everybody is pretty angry.”

That is why Judge Wilbert should go along with prosecutors and sentence the 51-year-old confessed killer of Dr. Tiller to at least 50 years in prison before he is eligible for parole.

He faces a minimum sentence of life imprisonment with the possibility of parole after 25 years. Such consideration from the court is unjustified for man who publicly admitted that he had stalked Tiller and shot and killed the doctor while he was in the fellowship hall of his church.

Despite Roeder’s contention that his actions were justified because he was acting on behalf of the unborn, he is nothing more than a cold-blooded killer. To treat him as anything else would be to make a mockery of the criminal justice system.

Even though Roeder wasn’t permitted to claim voluntary manslaughter, he testified in his own defense and insisted that he committed a justified act for the defense of unborn children.

Fortunately, the jury did not buy that self-serving prattle.

When so-called members of the clergy, such as Rev. Spitz, have no qualms about advocating violence, the federal government has no choice but to step in.

“Times change,” Spitz said. “People are not as passive as they have been. They are more assertive.”

That call to arms has terrified abortion-rights activists, who have asked the Obama administration for new protections, such as buffer zones around clinics, to protect doctors against people like Roeder.

Last week’s jury verdict is cause for some optimism, but as we noted recently, the history of the debate over abortion in the U.S. is filled with incidents of violence against doctors and women’s centers. Such violence must not go unpunished.