Sanity in Kansas

A jury in Wichita deliberated for just over half an hour before convicting Scott Roeder of murdering Dr. George Tiller in the foyer of Tiller's church. Los Angeles Times story here.

Roeder, the only witness called by the defense, said he felt relief after shooting Tiller on May 31.

After the murder, he drove toward Kansas City, stopping for a pizza along the way. Roeder had wanted to claim the crime was justifiable homicide, based on his belief that abortion -- in every case -- is murder. But Sedgwick County Judge Warren Wilbert said he could not claim he acted out of necessity. Abortion rights groups became alarmed when Roeder's attorneys asked the judge to allow the jury to consider convicting Roeder of voluntary manslaughter. At the end of testimony Thursday, Wilbert ruled that the jury could only consider premeditated, first-degree murder.

To paraphrase Louis XIV (or Madame de Pompadour): Après lui, le déluge. Look for anti-choice terrorists to step it up, not back down.