FMF Hails Roeder Jury Verdict, Calls on Justice Department to Act
Dr. George Tiller
In reaction to the unanimous jury verdict convicting Scott Roeder on one count of first-degree murder in the death of Dr. George Tiller and two counts of aggravated assault, Feminist Majority Foundation President Eleanor Smeal and Executive Vice President Katherine Spillar released the following statements:
Smeal said, “Defense efforts to establish that Roeder’s actions were justifiable failed miserably. The jury saw Roeder’s actions for what they were: cold-blooded murder.”
Spillar stated, “Roeder’s own words on the stand revealed that his ‘sidewalk counseling’ outside the clinic was a cover for his surveillance of Dr. Tiller’s ‘comings and goings’ and an opportunity to determine Tiller’s and the clinic’s vulnerabilities.” She continued, “Roeder’s testimony, during questioning by District Attorney Nola Foulston, opened the door wide for the Department of Justice to establish that there was a broader conspiracy to murder Dr. Tiller and other abortion providers. Now it is time for the federal Department of Justice to act.”
The Feminist Majority Foundation runs the National Clinic Access Project, which is the oldest and largest national clinic defense project in the nation. Executive Vice President Spillar attended the trial of Scott Roeder in Wichita, Kansas, and leads the project.
Stop CBS From Airing Anti-Abortion Super Bowl Ad
Even as the trial continues for the murder of Dr. George Tiller, CBS is planning to air an anti-abortion ad during the Super Bowl game.
Tell CBS that this is no time to feed the anger and hatred of anti-abortion extremists.
CBS has a stated policy to reject all ads it deems controversial, including ads from MoveOn.org, PETA, and even the United Church of Christ, which dared to suggest that their church would model tolerance (“Jesus Didn’t Turn People Away. Neither Do We”). Read the rest of this entry »
Feminist Majority Alarmed at Rulings in Dr. Tiller Murder Trial
“Let there be no mistake, the rulings of Kansas Judge Warren Wilbert are being seen by extremists as a green light for those who would murder abortion providers,” said Katherine Spillar, Executive Vice President of the Feminist Majority Foundation.
Don Spitz, who manages the Army of God website and advocates the murder of abortion providers as “justifiable homicide,” has been in touch with confessed killer Scott Roeder. According to the Associated Press, Spitz believes the decision may influence some people to kill abortion providers because of the possibility of a lower sentence for voluntary manslaughter. Spitz told the AP that the decision “may increase the number of people who may be willing to take that risk.”
Despite his statements to the contrary, by refusing today to set reasonable parameters on testimony and evidence, Judge Wilbert is effectively permitting Roeder to use a “justifiable homicide” defense that the judge had previously said Roeder could not use.
“The judge can instruct a jury to disregard inflammatory or prejudicial statements after they’ve been made, but the reality is that you can’t un-ring a bell,” concluded Spillar.
Katherine Spillar is the Executive Vice President of the Feminist Majority Foundation and leads its National Clinic Access Project, which is the oldest and largest national clinic defense project in the nation.
Kim Gandy, Former NOW President, Joins Feminist Majority Leadership
Eleanor Smeal, President of the Feminist Majority Foundation and the Feminist Majority, announced today that Kim Gandy has become Vice President and General Counsel of both organizations. Gandy brings to her new positions a wealth of experience in leadership, organizing, public policy advocacy, litigation, media relations, and coalition building at the national, state, and local levels. Read the rest of this entry »
Statement of Katherine Spillar, Executive Vice President of Feminist Majority Foundation on Kansas Judge’s decision to allow evidence in support of a “voluntary manslaughter” verdict in the trial of Scott Roeder for murdering Dr. George Tiller
Today’s perplexing decision is effectively back-door permission for admitted killer Scott Roeder to use a ‘justifiable homicide’ defense that is both un-justifiable and unconscionable.
Allowing an argument that this cold-blooded, premeditated murder could be voluntary manslaughter will embolden anti-abortion extremists and could result in ‘open season’ on doctors across the country.”
Kansas Judge Warren Wilbert ruled today that he will allow defense attorneys to present evidence to the jury about Scott Roeder’s beliefs prior to his shooting of Dr. George Tiller in church, which would allow a verdict of ‘voluntary manslaughter,’ defined as an ‘unreasonable but honest belief that circumstances existed that justified deadly force.’
At the same time Judge Wilbert denied Roeder the right to use a ‘justifiable homicide’ or ‘necessity’ defense. Rejecting ‘justifiable homicide’ while allowing ‘voluntary manslaughter’ is almost a distinction without a difference, since a verdict of voluntary manslaughter could carry as little as five years of jail time, and even that sentence could be reduced. It is an outrage.
In fact, Judge Wilbert had already rejected Roeder’s lawyers’ request to use the ‘justifiable homicide’ defense, citing a 1993 Kansas Supreme Court case predicting that such a defense would ‘not only lead to chaos but would be tantamount to sanctioning anarchy.’
Katherine Spillar is the Executive Vice President of the Feminist Majority Foundation and leads its National Clinic Access Project, which is the oldest and largest national clinic defense project in the nation.
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Help Free Courageous Iranian Activists
Written by Eleanor Smeal, Feminist Majority Foundation President
Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi’s sister, a professor in dentistry, Noushin Ebadi, Mansoureh Shojaee, a founder of the One Million Signatures campaign for women’s equality in Iran, and Morteza Kazemian, a journalist, were arrested the evening of December 29 by Ministry of Intelligence agents. Ebadi, who is out of the country, released a statement that her sister, who is not a human rights activist, was arrested simply because she is her sister and to put pressure on her to stop her human rights activities. Please take a minute to show solidarity with Iranian feminists as they fight for equality and freedom. Read the rest of this entry »
Tell CNN to Stop Promoting Sex Segregation in Public Schools
Sue Klein, Ed D, Education Equity Director, Feminist Majority Foundation
On Dec. 9th, 2009 CNN American Morning, presented a disappointing, one sided, and not scientifically based segment about the value of single-sex classes in public schools. Tell CNN to stop promoting sex segregation in public schools. Read the rest of this entry »
Feminists Rally on Capitol Hill Against Stupak/Pitts
Hundreds of feminist activists from around the country gathered today on Capitol Hill to rally against the anti-abortion Stupak/Pitts amendment to the health insurance reform bill. The lobby day was presented by the Stop Stupak Coalition, which is also sponsoring a week of action that started Monday. The coalition includes 53 partners that form “a broad group of advocacy organizations from the progressive and women’s health communities.”
Make sure to watch Feminist Majority Foundation President Eleanor Smeal’s rally speach and other rally videos!
Farewell to a Pioneer of Women’s Sports
By Michele Kort, Ms. senior editor
It’s really, really hard to get a sport into the Olympic Games.
The sport must be played competitively in a certain amount of countries—which can mean that boosters must help develop the sport outside of their home country as well as within it—and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) must be convinced. For women’s sports, the latter can be a Sisyphean task, considering that the staid old IOC currently has just 16 women among its 111 members. Read the rest of this entry »
Terror in Charlotte
By Carole Joffe, Ms. Washington Correspondent
The posters have the word “WANTED” in large black letters at the top and contain the following language: “We would like to introduce you to Drs. X and Y [names withheld here]. Their specialties are Obstetrics, Gynecology and Murder. Not only do these two men assist women and deliver babies, but they also harm women and kill babies…. You may contact them at their office or the clinic in which they perform the abortions.” Read the rest of this entry »
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