January, 29 2010, 12:07pm EDT
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Lisa Bennett, 202-628-8669, ext. 123
NOW Applauds Guilty Verdict in Roeder Trial
Statement of NOW President Terry O'Neill
WASHINGTON
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.
The National Organization for Women (NOW) is the largest organization of feminist activists in the United States. NOW has 500,000 contributing members and 550 chapters in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
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