WICHITA — An anti-abortion zealot convicted of murdering a prominent Kansas abortion doctor was sentenced Thursday to life in prison and won’t be eligible for parole for 50 years — the maximum allowed by law.
Scott Roeder, 52, faced a mandatory life prison term for gunning down Dr. George Tiller in the back of Tiller’s Wichita church last May. Tiller was one of the few U.S. doctors who perform late-term abortions.
Sedgwick County District Judge Warren Wilbert could have made Roeder eligible for parole after 25 or 50 years but gave him the harsher sentence because he said the evidence showed Roeder stalked Tiller before killing him.
Wilbert also sentenced Roeder to serve an additional year in prison on each of two counts of aggravated assault for threatening two church ushers in the melee. That means — allowing for possible time off those sentences for good behavior — Roeder won’t be eligible for parole for 51 years and eight months.
During his trial, Roeder testified that he killed Tiller in a bid to save unborn children.
In a rambling statement in court Thursday, Roeder blamed Tiller’s death primarily on the state for not outlawing abortion.
“I stopped him so he could not dismember another innocent baby. Wichita is a far safer place for unborn babies without George Tiller,” Roeder said.
As he being led away in handcuffs after the sentencing, Roeder shouted, “Blood of innocent babies on your hands.”
