Suspect in Tiller shooting can't be held without bail, his lawyer says

[babylonsister]

Suspect in Tiller shooting can't be held without bail, his lawyer says


WICHITA - Scott Roeder's lawyer said Wednesday that the law prohibits holding his client without bail in the killing of Wichita abortion provider George Tiller.

Steve Osburn, head of the regional public defender's office, has filed a motion citing a state law that says courts must set bond for defendants charged with non-capital crimes.

Roeder was ordered held without bond Tuesday after his first court appearance.

The Kansas Constitution and an 89-year-old opinion from the Kansas Supreme Court appear to prevent holding defendants without bail except in cases that could bring the death penalty.

Roeder is charged with first-degree murder, a non-capital offense, in Sunday's shooting of Tiller in the foyer of Reformation Lutheran Church in Wichita.

Osburn's motion could be heard as early as Friday, although no hearing has yet been scheduled.

more...

http://www.kansas.com/news/tiller/story/838757.html

[Mz Pip]

1. Fine

Set his bail at 5 billion dollars.

[WeDidIt]

2. Too low

5 Trillion dollars.

[ellenfl]

6. no, higher. you know the fundies will bail him out if the amount is too low. eom

[MercutioATC]

3. If first-degree murder is a non-capital offense in Kansas...

...what the hell do you have to do to get the death penalty???

[NeedleCast]

4. The last thing I want is for this guy to get the death penalty

The religious right will turn him into a martyr. Off to prison, where he can rot and (generally) be forgotten.

[MercutioATC]

5. I'm kinda anti-death-penalty anyway, so I agree.

Besides, general population can be worse than the death penalty anyway...

[RaleighNCDUer]

14. For his kind, death is not a penalty but a reward.

He'd go to the gurney thinking "at LAST I did something worthwhile!"

Much better he spend the next 30 years in a 6x10 cell thinking "was it worth THIS?"

[mitchum]

12. Blasphemy is probably punishable by the death penalty in Kansas

[northernlights]

16. apparently providing safe and legal abortion services

to women who need them. :(

[proud2BlibKansan]

7. 10 gazillion dollars

I'll get right on the fundraising.

[babylonsister]

9. I imagine - hope! - the judge would put an insurmountable

price on his head, but I'll help you, if that's what is necessary.

[proud2BlibKansan]

15. I am accepting only Monopoly dollars.

:)

[TheMightyFavog]

8. I think a high bail in the millions would be in order.

It's reasonable to say that Roeder poses a flight risk, and there's more than a few people in Kansas who would aid and abet his flight, just like Eric Rudolph.

[LiberalFighter]

10. They should put a ankle tracker on him, put him on house arrest.

Not allow him any visitors except his attorney. Take away his passport if he has one. Put a tire lock on his car so it can't be used. Take his keys away in case they circumvent it.

[TheMightyFavog]

11. You might as well just ask for remand, then.

End of Line.

[HopeHoops]

13. Gitmo had a recent vacancy

He can brag about it to the other "terrorists".

[BirminghamExaminer]

17. 1st degree murder isn't a capital offense in Kansas?

And they teach creationism in schools....what next?! I thought Alabama was pathetic. Glad to know Kansas is worse.