Abortion doctor’s killer must serve 50 years

A FANATIC who murdered a doctor who performed late-term abortions was sentenced to life in prison and must serve 50 years — the maximum allowed by US law — before he can apply for parole.

Scott Roeder, 52, faced a mandatory life prison term for gunning down Dr George Tiller in the back of the doctor’s church in Wichita, Kansas, last May.

Defiant to the end, he showed no remorse during yesterday’s sentencing and sought to justify his crime by describing abortion procedures in gritty and graphic detail.

“I stopped him so he could not dismember another innocent baby,” Roeder said. “Wichita is a far safer place for unborn babies without George Tiller.”

Sedgwick County district judge Warren Wilbert had the choice to make Roeder eligible for parole after 25 or 50 years, but said he gave him the harsher sentence because evidence showed Roeder stalked Dr Tiller before killing him.

As he was led away in handcuffs, Roeder shouted: “Blood of babies on your hands.”

Judge Wilbert also sentenced Roeder to serve an additional year in prison on each of two counts of aggravated assault for threatening two church ushers.

Roeder accused the judge of “duplicity” and said his trial was a miscarriage of justice because he was not allowed to present evidence about the evils of abortion and said God’s judgment against the US would “sweep over this land like a prairie wind”.