No Delay in Tiller Case as New Prosecutor is Ordered to Answer Spurious Accusations
by Staff
October 10, 2008
WICHITA, Kans., (christiansunite.com) -- Judge Clark Owens has ruled that the scheduled November 17 hearing in the criminal case of late-term abortionist George R. Tiller will not be delayed as prosecutors are ordered to answer almost 500 allegations of misconduct levied by Tiller's defense team.Tiller's lawyers made the allegations in a brief filed September 15 that included unsubstantiated accusations of prosecutorial misconduct on the part of former Attorney General Phill Kline, who denies any wrongdoing.
Tiller is being charged with 19 counts of violating a requirement in the Kansas ban on post-viability abortions that requires the second signature of a physician not legally or financially affiliated with the abortionist before post-viability abortions can be done. Operation Rescue was the first to discover and report that Tiller was violating that requirement in the law.
While the current charges were not filed by Kline, they are based on abortion records obtained by Kline with the permission and oversight of the Kansas Supreme Court.
Attorney General Steve Six removed prosecutor Veronica Dersch from the case last week because she is now a potential witness. Dersch has been replaced by Barry Disney, who asked Judge Owens for permission to file his answer to the Tiller accusations after the November 17 hearing, when the facts of the matter can be determined. The request for a delay in filing the brief was denied at a hearing on Thursday.
"Tiller is now engaging in the 'smoke and mirrors' defense, apparently because they have no real legal defense to stand on. They are attempting to pass off huge amounts of unsubstantiated accusations as fact, and cloud the real issue that their client is accused of repeatedly breaking the law," said Operation Rescue President Troy Newman. "Tiller's attorneys are willing to risk the lives and safety of women to keep Tiller in business, and their hourly fees rolling in."
Tiller was involved in a botched late-term abortion last week that hospitalized a patient and nearly cost her life. On Wednesday, an ambulance transported yet another botched abortion victim away from Tiller's late-term abortion mill.
"This prosecution must go on without further delay," said Newman. "Every day Tiller's clinic is open is another day when women's lives are placed at risk from his dangerous abortion business. A conviction could cost Tiller his medical license and literally save lives."
About Operation Rescue®
Operation Rescue is one of the leading pro-life Christian activist organizations in the nation. Operation Rescue recently made headlines when it bought and closed an abortion clinic in Wichita, Kansas and has become the voice of the pro-life activist movement in America. Its activities are on the cutting edge of the abortion issue, taking direct action to restore legal personhood to the pre-born and stop abortion in obedience to biblical mandates.
