NOW Applauds Guilty Verdict in Roeder Trial

Statement of NOW President Terry O'Neill

January 29, 2010

The National Organization for Women commends the jury in the Scott Roeder trial for its swift guilty verdict and for not being fooled by the outrageous defense claim of justifiable terrorism. Roeder sat on the stand this week and described the horrific ways he had planned to maim or kill Dr. George Tiller, and he admitted outright to murdering the doctor at his church last May.

The jury also found Roeder guilty of two counts of aggravated assault for aiming his gun at two ushers as he fled the church. With these three convictions, NOW is relieved that Roeder will most likely spend the rest of his life in jail. We will be closely watching the March 9 sentencing. However, we should not fool ourselves that this is the end of anti-abortion terrorism. Other courageous physicians like Dr. Tiller, who risk their lives every day to provide women with abortion care, remain targets of the radical right.

NOW urges the Department of Justice to investigate this network of anti-abortion terrorists. NOW leadership and our dedicated grassroots activists across the country, have been tracking and witnessing these terrorists at work for decades. Some of our own members have survived harassment and assault. NOW would be happy to share with the Justice Department any relevant evidence we might have that would help shut down this conspiracy to deny women their fundamental right to abortion through violence and the threat of violence.

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For Immediate Release
Contact: Latoya Veal w. 202-628-8669, ext. 116, c. 301-660-3447

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