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George Tiller

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Dr. George Tiller
Born
George Richard Tiller

(1941-08-08)August 8, 1941
Wichita, Kansas, U.S
DiedMay 31, 2009(2009-05-31) (aged 67)
Wichita, Kansas
Cause of deathGunshot wound
EducationUniversity of Kansas (zoology, 1963)
University of Kansas School of Medicine (1967)
Internship, United States Navy
Known forPro-choice advocacy
RelativesJeanne Elizabeth (Guenther) Tiller, widow
Dean Jackson "Jack" Tiller, M.D., father (1916–1970)
Medical career
ProfessionFamily medicine[1]
InstitutionsOwner-operator of Women’s Health Care – Wichita, Kansas (1975–2009)
Sub-specialtiesLate-term abortion[2]

George Richard Tiller, MD (August 8, 1941 – May 31, 2009[3][4]) was an American physician from Wichita, Kansas. He was the medical director of a clinic in Wichita, Women's Health Care Services, one of only three nationwide which self-identified as providing abortions after the 21st week of pregnancy (known as late-term abortion).[5]

Operation Rescue kept a daily vigil outside Tiller's clinic for many years: first the national group, then later a branch that moved from California to Kansas specifically to focus on Tiller. On August 19, 1993, during Operation Rescue's "Summer of Mercy", outside of the Wichita clinic, Tiller was shot in both arms by Shelley Shannon, who received an 11-year prison sentence for the crime.[6][7][8] On May 31, 2009, Tiller was shot and killed, allegedly by anti-abortion activist Scott Roeder, as he served as an usher during the Sunday morning service at his church in Wichita.[4][9][10]

Background

Tiller studied at the University of Kansas School of Medicine from 1963 to 1967. Shortly thereafter, he held a medical internship with United States Navy, and served as flight surgeon in Oakland, California, in 1969 and 1970.[11] In July 1970 he planned to start a dermatology residency. However on August 21, 1970, his parents, sister and brother-in-law were killed in an aircraft accident. In her will, his sister had requested that Tiller take care of her one-year-old son. Tiller had intended to go back to Wichita, close up his father's family practice and then go back to become a dermatologist. However, he quickly felt pressure to take over his father's family practice. Tiller's father had performed abortions at his practice. After hearing about a woman who had died from an illegal abortion, Tiller stayed in Wichita to continue his father's practice.[12]

1993 shooting

Throughout his career, Tiller was a frequent target of anti-abortion violence. In June 1986, his clinic was bombed.[9] On August 19, 1993, Tiller was shot in both arms by Shelley Shannon.[7][8][13] At the time she attacked Tiller, Shannon had been an anti-abortion activist for five years and had written letters of support to Michael Griffin, killer of David Gunn. She called Griffin "a hero."[14] She traveled to the Wichita clinic, a site of frequent demonstrations by activists on both sides of the abortion debate, and shot Tiller with a semiautomatic pistol.[15]

Dr. Tiller gives a mock consultation in 1997 in the setting of his clinic, Women’s Health Care – Wichita, Kansas (which he owned and operated from 1975 until his assassination in 2009).

At her trial in state court, she testified that there was nothing immoral about trying to kill Tiller. The jury convicted Shannon of attempted murder, and she was sentenced to 11 years in prison.[15][16] The following year, Shannon was sentenced to an additional 20 years in prison on charges of arson, interference with commerce by force and interstate travel in aid of racketeering in connection to her participation in several fires and acid attacks on abortion clinics.[17][18][19]

Controversies

Christin Gilbert

Christin Gilbert, a 19-year-old woman with Down Syndrome from Keller, Texas, died in January 2005 after a multi-day abortion procedure performed at Tiller's facility, though reports conflict as to whether the abortion was performed by Tiller himself or by LeRoy Carhart. Gilbert had been 28 weeks pregnant. The autopsy stated that Gilbert died of sepsis following the abortion.[20] Tiller was cleared of any wrongdoing by the Kansas Board of Healing Arts. After a petition from Operation Rescue, a grand jury was convened to probe Gilbert's death,[21][22] which resulted in no indictments against Tiller.

The O'Reilly Factor

See also: Criticism of Bill O'Reilly (political commentator) § George Tiller

George Tiller was first discussed on The O'Reilly Factor on February 25, 2005. Subsequently Tiller was discussed in at least 28 episodes before his death. On the show he was sometimes described as "Tiller the Baby Killer". O'Reilly said that he did not come up with the nickname, but was just reporting what activists said. Host Bill O'Reilly also warned of Tiller would face on "judgment day".[23]

On November 3, 2006, O'Reilly featured an exclusive segment on his The O'Reilly Factor, saying that he had an "inside source" with official clinic documentation indicating that George Tiller performed late-term abortions to alleviate "temporary depression" in the pregnant woman.[24] Tiller responded to O'Reilly's statements by demanding an investigation into the "inside source" through which the information was leaked, suggesting that Phill Kline, then the Kansas Attorney General, was responsible. Kline denied the charge. O'Reilly also interviewed a woman who allegedly got pregnant when she was 13 and received an abortion from Tiller.[25]

Late term abortion

Tiller performed late-term abortions, which was one of the reasons he was condemned by pro-life activists. Reportedly Tiller treated patients who discovered late in pregnancy that their fetuses had severe or fatal birth defects. He also aborted healthy late-term fetuses, in cases where two doctors certified that carrying the fetus to term would cause the woman "substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function."[26]

Trial and acquittal

Kansas law prohibits aborting viable fetuses, which is generally midway through the second trimester, unless two doctors certify that continuing the pregnancy would cause the woman "substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function."[27] Tiller went on trial in March 2009, charged with 19 misdemeanors for allegedly consulting a second physician in late-term abortion cases who was not truly "independent" as required by Kansas state law.[28][29]

The case became a cause célèbre for both supporters and opponents of abortion. Columnist Jack Cashill compared the trial to the Nuremberg Trials of Nazi war criminals,[30] while NYU Professor Jacob Appel described Tiller as "a genuine hero who ranks alongside Susan B. Anthony and Martin Luther King Jr. in the pantheon of defenders of human liberty."[31]

On March 27, 2009, Tiller was found not guilty of all 19 misdemeanor charges stemming from some abortions he performed at his Wichita clinic in 2003. Kansas' Board of Healing Arts continued to investigate charges of ethical violations that mirrored the prosecutors' criminal allegations.[32]

Assassination

Main article: Assassination of George Tiller
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George Tiller was shot and killed on May 31, 2009, during worship services at the Reformation Lutheran Church in Wichita, where he was serving as an usher and handing out church bulletins.[9] Tiller was shot once in the head at point blank range by a gunman who escaped after threatening two others, then fleeing in a car.[33] Three hours after the shooting, the anti-abortion activist Scott Roeder was arrested about 170 miles away in suburban Kansas City. On June 2, 2009, Roeder was charged with first-degree murder and two counts of aggravated assault in connection with the shooting.[10][34]

Tiller's killing was largely condemned by groups and individuals on both sides of the abortion issue.[35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42] President Barack Obama said he was "shocked and outraged"[35] by the murder, and David N. O'Steen, director of the National Right to Life Committee, said the group "unequivocally condemns any such acts of violence regardless of motivation".[36] A few others held the opposite view; anti-abortion activist Randall Terry described Tiller as a "mass murderer" (but did not overtly express approval of the actions of his murderer) [43] and Southern Baptist minister and radio host Wiley Drake said, "I am glad that he is dead."[44][45] Reason columnist Jacob Sullum wrote, "if you honestly believe abortion is the murder of helpless children, it's hard to see why using deadly force against those who carry it out is immoral, especially since the government refuses to act.[46]

A June 1, 2009, candlelight vigil in Boston, Massachusetts, for George Tiller.

After the shooting, Tiller's colleague, Dr. Leroy Carhart of Nebraska, stated that Tiller's clinic, Women's Health Care Services, would reopen after being closed for one week to mourn his death. [47] The following week, Tiller's family announced that the clinic will be closed permanently. [48]

See also

References

  1. ^ http://74.125.93.132/search?q=cache:http://www.drtiller.com/medir.html
  2. ^ Tumulty, Karen (31 May 2009). "George Tiller Murdered". Time magazine. Retrieved 1 June 2009. [...]specialist in late-term [abortion] procedures
  3. ^ "George Tiller shot to death at Wichita church". Kansas City Star. 2009-05-31. Retrieved 2009-05-31.
  4. ^ a b Robin, Abcarian (2009-05-31). "Abortion doctor George Tiller is killed; suspect in custody". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2009-06-01.
  5. ^ (March 27, 2008). "[1]" New York Time Retrieved May 31, 2009.
  6. ^ Phillips, Don (1993-08-22). "Violence Hardly Ruffled Protest Ritual". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2006-06-10.
  7. ^ a b "Clinic violence and intimidation" (PDF). NARAL Pro-Choice America Foundation. 2006. Retrieved 2006-04-13. Cite error: The named reference "naral" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  8. ^ a b Crow, Karen (2005-08-19). "A Violent Week in August". Choice! Magazine. Retrieved 2006-04-13. Cite error: The named reference "pp" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  9. ^ a b c The Guardian, 1 June 2009, For years anti-abortionists tried to stop Doctor Tiller. Finally a bullet did
  10. ^ a b Finger, Stan (2009-05-31). "George Tiller Shot to Death at Wichita Church". The Wichita Eagle. The McClatchy Company. Retrieved 2009-05-31.
  11. ^ "Our Medical Director". Women's Health Care Services. Retrieved 2006-06-10.
  12. ^ "George R. Tiller, MD". Physicians for Reproductive Choice and Health. 2008. Retrieved 2009-05-31.
  13. ^ Phillips, Don (1993-08-22). "Violence Hardly Ruffled Protest Ritual". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2006-06-10.
  14. ^ "Abortions, Bibles and Bullets, And the Making of a Militant". N.Y. Times. 1993-08-28. Retrieved 2009-06-07.
  15. ^ a b Ryan, Harriet (2003-03-11). "Kopp fifth clinic shooter to face trial". Court TV. Retrieved 2007-01-09.
  16. ^ "The Week March 20-26". Time Magazine. 1994-04-04. Retrieved 2007-01-09.
  17. ^ "Antiabortion Extremist Indicted in Attacks on Clinics in West". The Washington Post. 1994-10-25. Retrieved 2007-01-09.
  18. ^ "Guilty Plea Expected In Fires at Clinics". New York Times. 1995-06-04. Retrieved 2007-01-09.
  19. ^ "Woman Gets 20-Year Sentence In Attacks on Abortion Clinics". New York Times. 1995-09-09. Retrieved 2007-01-09.
  20. ^ "Gallery Two". Justice for Christin.
  21. ^ "Grand jury to probe abortion clinic". KTEN News. 2006. Retrieved 2006-06-10.
  22. ^ Phillips, Rachel (2006-05-22). "Abortion Doctor Subject of Grand Jury Investigation". KAKE News. Retrieved 2006-06-10.
  23. ^ "O'Reilly's campaign against murdered doctor". salon.com. 2009-05-31. Retrieved 2009-05-31.
  24. ^ O'Reilly, Bill (2006-11-06). "Killing Babies in America". The O'Reilly Factor Talking Points. FoxNews.com. Retrieved 2006-11-07.
  25. ^ "Dr. Tiller Abortion Patient Speaks Out!". FoxNews.com. 2006-12-13. Retrieved 2009-05-31.
  26. ^ Abortion Provider Is Shot Dead; George Tiller, Attacked at His Church, Had Long Been a Focal Point of Protests, By Stephanie Simon and Miguel Bustillo, Wall Street Journal, June 1, 2009.
  27. ^ Abortion Provider Is Shot Dead; George Tiller, Attacked at His Church, Had Long Been a Focal Point of Protests, By Stephanie Simon and Miguel Bustillo, Wall Street Journal, June 1, 2009.
  28. ^ Tiller Jury Selection, Kansas City Star, March 18.
  29. ^ Jury set in trial of Wichita late-term abortionist, Kansas Liberty, March 18, 2009.
  30. ^ Why George Tiller is on trial in Wichita, World Net Daily, March 19, 2009.
  31. ^ Los Angeles Times, March 21, 2009.
  32. ^ "Kan. doctor acquitted in abortion case - Crime & courts- msnbc.com". Retrieved 2009-04-23.
  33. ^ "AP Names Suspect in Tiller Shooting". 2009-05-31. Retrieved 2009-05-31.
  34. ^ "Criminal Complaint/Information (Kansas v. Scott P. Roeder)". FindLaw. 2009-06-02. Retrieved 2009-06-05.
  35. ^ a b "Barack Obama shocked by abortion doctor shooting". Telegraph.co.uk..
  36. ^ a b "National Right to Life condemns the killing of Dr. George Tiller". National Right to Life. 2009-05-31.
  37. ^ "KS NOW Mourns the Murder of Dr. George Tille". Kanas Now. 2009-05-31.
  38. ^ Jewish groups speak out on Tiller killing, Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA), June 2, 2009.
  39. ^ "Operation Rescue Denounces The Killing of Abortionist Tiller". Operation Rescue. 2009-05-31.
  40. ^ "Pro-life groups condemn slaying of late-term abortionist". Catholiccutlure.org. 2009-06-01.
  41. ^ Appel, Jacob M. (2009-06-04). "George Tiller and the Paradox of Anti-Abortion Violence". Opposing Views.
  42. ^ "Murder Not Justified, Pro-Life Leaders Say". 2009-6-01. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  43. ^ Veritas, Sandy. "George Tiller was a Mass-Murderer, says Randall Terry -- We Grieve That he Did Not Have Time to Properly Prepare his Soul to Face God". Christian News Wire..
  44. ^ Koppelman, Alex. "Keyes' running mate: Tiller murder "answer to prayer"". Salon.com. Retrieved 2009-06-02.
  45. ^ Allen, Bob (2009-06-02). "Former SBC officer says Tiller murder answer to prayer". Associated Baptist Press.
  46. ^ Sullum, Jacob (2009-06-01). "Why is Killing Abortionists Like George Tiller So Wrong?". Opposing Views.
  47. ^ "Nebraska physician vows to keep Tiller's abortion clinic open", by Stan Finger, Wichita Eagle, published in Fort Worth Star-Telegram, June 1, 2009]
  48. ^ Abcarian, Robin (2009-06-10). "Abortion fatigue' on both sides as Kansas clinic closes". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2009-06-10.
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