Federal charges possible for Scott Roeder

[ck4829]

For a week, a federal investigator sat in a Wichita courtroom and listened to testimony that Scott Roeder murdered abortion provider George Tiller.

Even after the conviction came a week ago, federal investigators are still at work.

They are looking into whether the 51-year-old Kansas City man truly acted alone; at least one Roeder supporter made a striking comment about the crime last week. They might consider federal charges against Roeder as well.

It's happened before: Two other anti-abortion activists who killed abortion providers in the 1990s were charged with violating the federal Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, signed into law in 1994 to prevent clinic violence. Like Roeder, the activists also were convicted of state murder charges.

Why push for federal charges when prosecutors already are assured of a long sentence?

"Additional penalties that can be assessed," said Richard Levy, a University of Kansas law professor who followed Roeder's trial. "That way, they could avoid any chance of him ever being paroled.

"Another reason for a federal prosecution is that if there might be others involved, a federal case might provide a vehicle for getting that information, whereas the state may not have an interest or the wherewithal to investigate a conspiracy that involves people in several states."

http://www.kansas.com/news/state/story/1170334.html#none

Dave Leach, one of Roeder's backers, later says in the article any investigation into a possible conspiracy that involved Roeder is an attack on free speech. Makes one think, huh?

[BOSSHOG]

1. Why do federal investigators hate murderers?

So conspiracy to commit murder is an attack on free speech? Only from the minds of conservatives. I hope roeder lives a very long life.

[proud2BlibKansan]

2. If you are watching MSNBC, the prosecutor is on right now

It's a show about a horrific murder in Wichita 10 yeas ago. But the prosecutor is the same one from Roeder's trial.