Monday, November 9, 2009

Scott Roeder has confessed to the shooting of a Kansas abortion provider.

The 51-year-old Kansas City, Mo., man told The Associated Press in a telephone call from jail Monday that he plans to use the so-called necessity defense at his trial.

Roeder contends the killing of Dr. George Tiller in May at a Wichita church was justified to protect the lives of unborn children.

In a telephone call from jail Monday, Scott Roeder told the AP: "Because of the fact pre-born children's lives were in imminent danger, this was the action I chose."

His confession comes as abortion opponents across the nation release a new "Defensive Action Statement" arguing for the same force to protect the unborn as is justified to protect born children. The 21 signers want jurors to be allowed to consider that defense at Roeder's Jan. 11 trial.

Among the signers are Eric Rudolph, James Kopp and Shelley Shannon -- all serving prison time for targeting abortion doctors.