“I’ve never seen anyone lay himself out as much as Mr. Roeder did,’’ Rudy said after the verdict, referring to his client’s confessions.
Roeder faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison with the possibility of parole after 25 years when he is sentenced March 9. Prosecutor Nola Foulston said she would pursue a “Hard 50’’ sentence, which would require Roeder to serve at least 50 years before he can be considered for parole.
Tiller’s widow, Jeanne, and the rest of the family quickly exited the courtroom after the verdict. In a statement, Jeanne Tiller said “once again, a Sedgwick County jury has reached a just verdict.’’
The family said it wanted Tiller to be “remembered for his legacy of service to women, the help he provided for those who needed it, and the love and happiness he provided us as a husband, father, and grandfather.’’
Roeder had confessed publicly before the trial and admitted again on the witness stand that he shot Tiller in the foyer of the Wichita church where the doctor was serving as an usher. He testified he felt the lives of unborn children were in “immediate danger’’ because of Tiller.
During closing arguments earlier yesterday, Rudy urged the jury to reject the murder charge, saying, “no one should be convicted based on his convictions.’’
Rudy mentioned leaders who stood up for their beliefs, including Martin Luther King Jr. They were “celebrated individuals [who] stood up and made the world a better place.’’
