Judge ups bond to $20 million in Tiller shooting

[proud2BlibKansan]

Source: Kansas City Star

The bond for Scott Roeder, the suspect in the shooting death of Wichita abortion provider George Tiller, is now up to $20 million.

Sedgwick County District Judge Warren Wilbert declined to say Monday why he raised the bond for Scott Roeder. But court records from an unannounced hearing last week show the bond was raised from the initial $5 million bond due to "a change in circumstances."

The new bond requires Roeder to post at least $10 million of that bond in cash.

Roeder is charged with first-degree murder and aggravated assault for allegedly gunning down Tiller on May 31 at his church.

The higher bond came just days after Roeder told the Associated Press that he knows there are "many other similar events" planned around the country as long as abortion remains legal.

Read more: http://www.kansascity.com/news/breaking_news/story/1253885.html

[Canuckistanian]

1. The anti-choicers must have had the $5 million to spring him

Now where did they get all that money from? A "rainy day fund"??

[proud2BlibKansan]

3. They have LOTS of money

I am willing to bet they had raised nearly all of the bail money and that's why the judge raised his bail.

[saigon68]

15. These thugs are better organized than Fred Phelps and his Mob

Unlike Phelps they have actual catholic priests and nuns carrying their vile signs and posters.

I'm sure they want to get this guy out so he can go on glen beck, hannity etc, and whip up the sheep.

[chollybocker]

5. And now, that $5 million rainy day fund will become $20 million by next week.

The judge here is basically fund-raising for the RW loonies.

[rasputin1952]

21. That was my thought as well...

but there is a provision in the Constitution about "excessive bail".

I think there is a lso precedent for denying bail in crimes such as First Degree murder. Mkes this one an exceptional flight risk.

No leagal eagle here, but I think bail could just be "denied"...:shrug:

[robinlynne]

2. how about no bail? Judge, haven't you ever heard of that? WE're talking about a terrorist here,

a real one. Not a fake, made up one.

[proud2BlibKansan]

4. Maybe KS state law says he has to have a bond?

I am not sure but I am guessing that might be the reason?

[robinlynne]

6. Murderers don't have to have a bond. I never heard of such thing. not saying you're wrong,

just thinking out loud. Why would any state law say that? When a person is dangerous and would probably kill again, they do not get bail, do they?

[proud2BlibKansan]

8. He can't get the death penalty because of state laws

So who knows? Maybe there's some weird state law about bail too.

I honestly don't know. That was merely my first thought.

[happyslug]

32. Kansas has NOT executed anyone since 1965

Thus I suspect the death Penalty in Kansas has been a dead letter since June 22, 1965, when Kansas executed its last convicted murders. Kansas law (passed in 1994) provides enough appeals that any execution will not occur for 20-30 years, and by that time this man will have died of old age.

http://ksdpfocus.blogspot.com/

[catrose]

13. Been awhile since I paid attention to this

but I thought murderers couldn't get bail. Was that in earlier days of a more sensible nation?

[happyslug]

31. Remember he had NOT been Convicted of ANY CRIME at the present time

Thus, as far as the law is concerned, he is to be treated as if he was INNOCENT of the Crime. The sole purpose of pre-trial imprisonment is to make sure he shows up at trial. If a sufficient bond can be provided to provide a similar result (i.e. the defendant will appear at trial) then the bond must be set. The assumption that he might do other crimes while on Bond is NOT a reason to deny him bond. Such imprisonment can occur only after a trial (Or his plead of guilty to a criminal charge that incurs imprisonment). Remember he is viewed as NOT having done any crime before he is convicted of doing that crime. To imprison him before Trial, other then to make sure he appears for the trial, can only occur after a hearing where his liberty can be restricted do to some criminal act. That he MAY commit a crime is NOT a legal factor (In some case it is a factor that Judge considers but technically the Judge is NOT suppose to).

Now, the rule as to Murders was no bond could be high enough, for the penalty can be death (i.e. no matter what you set the bond at, the person will skip rather then go to trial). Imprisonment without Parole or even Life Imprisonment is viewed as bad as the Death penalty (i.e. the person will skip no matter how much money he would lose upon skipping out while on bond). Thus in most murder cases no bond is permitted (O.J. Simpson was held in Jail for over a year while on trial for no bond was set for he was accused on Murder).

I suspect someone is trying to raise the bond amount. $5 million is NOT that much anymore. A 18 year old entering the Job Market and earning no more then the minimum wage will earn $743,600 (7.15 per hour 2080 work hours per year in a 40 hour work week for 52 weeks a year times 50 years, Social Security Retirement age for a person who is 18 today is 68 not 65 years of age under the 1982 Social Security Reform act). Thus a person on Minimum wage will earn almost 3/4 of a million Dollar by the time he or she retires. Most people will exceed that number.

My point is One million is NOT that much money, if you have the pool of people to raise it from. Neither is Five million or even 20 Million dollars. It is possible to raise that much money so the Judge decided to increase it to what he believes will encourage the Defendant to appear at trial or provide enough revenue to the state to find and get him.

[WolverineDG]

10. Perhaps there are steps you have to go through to get no bond in KS?

Check around in your city, Proud.

dg

[proud2BlibKansan]

17. Check this out

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=3924602&mesg_id=3924785

[trthnd4jstc]

7. $20 Million sounds right. n/t

[WolverineDG]

9. Probably because the fuckwads were raising bail for him

They are all TERRORISTS!!!! :grr:

dg

[The Wizard]

22. And the more they raise

the bigger the catch of those who fund domestic terror. They are exposing themselves with each check they write for the cause.

[shadowknows69]

11. Why is there even bail in this case?

When did we stop considering murderers a flight risk?

[Heidi]

12. Bond was apparently increased at the request of prosecutors for good reason.

Deputy District Attorney Kim Parker says Roeder's bond should be increased "based on the very public nature of this and the activist groups, if you will, that might be willing to assist in posting the bond and/or assist in helping Mr. Roeder escape the consequences of moving through a court system."

Prosecutors and Roeder's defense attorney acknowledge there has been talk of a bail bondsman somewhere along the line.

"We have learned that there is a bondman -- that there is no indication at this point that the bondsman will, can or might be able to bond this person out, but respecting that, we still believe that it's appropriate to ask for an increase based on the subsequent statements of the defendant himself having contacted the media on more than one occasion," said Foulston.

"As you (the court) indicated, there is no bondsman in town that has the power or right to write a $5 million bond. I think the reason we are on the record today(in court) is because apparently someone has acquired those powers or is attempting to."

http://www.kwch.com/Global/story.asp?S=10534731&nav=menu486_2_2

[Lasher]

14. I thought Roeder was all alone

Kinda brings that theory into question.

[Heidi]

18. This is only my guess, but it sounds like a local bondsman was trying to

acquire the resources to guarantee a $5 million bond.

I would not be at all surprised if Roeder has supporters who were trying to raise the original bond. After all, Shelley Shannon is serving a long prison sentence for trying to assassinate Dr. Tiller in '93 and she still has her supporters, and Paul Hill is revered as a martyr among some of these extremists.

[Lasher]

23. Thanks for the insight, Heidi.

I see all these individuals are or were affiliated with the Army of God.

[Heidi]

24. Yep.

And I believe there are many young evangelicals who align themselves with seemingly "well intentioned" pro-life groups without realizing they're advancing the agenda of AoG. Not that they'd care, anyway, perhaps.

[Lasher]

25. I saw no indication the AoG is considered a terrorist organization.

Seems high time the government made that distinction. That wouldn't have been possible during the Bush administration because they had to keep the 'noble lie' going.

[Heidi]

26. I agree about AoG. But what about organizations like this one?

This is what I mean by young evangelicals, perhaps unknowingly, supporting an agenda that feeds organizations like AoG and from which the most extreme "pro-life" zealouts can easily be recruited.

http://bound4life.com/local-chapters

[izquierdista]

29. Hezbollah?

Different language, same meaning.

[proud2BlibKansan]

16. Conspiracy to raise bond??

Looks like conspiracy to commit murder.

These forced birthers are EVIL.

[Heidi]

19. I have little doubt that if Roeder were released on bail,

he'd go gunnin' for Dr. Carhart or, at the very least, enable it. And yes, I do think there's a conspiracy among these religious extremists to do what they believe is "God's will," even if it costs them their own lives.

[tomp]

20. more acts like this planned? waterboard the domestic terrorist! nt

[moondust]

27. Definitely a flight risk.

James Kopp, murderer of Dr. Barnett Slepian, was arrested in Dinan, France, with two Irish passports.

Kopp had received help from sympathetic pro-life activist couple Loretta Marra and Dennis Malvasi, who pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy in helping Kopp avoid capture. Marra and Malvasi had communicated extensively with Kopp, telling him also via electronic communications that "the coast is clear", referring to his proposed secretive return to US via Canada, and also to his use of their home as a safe house. On August 21, 2003, they were sentenced to time served, and released. The fugitive assisters later changed their names to Joyce Maier and Ted Barnes.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Charles_Kopp

[damntexdem]

28. Why not just deny the bond?

Even at $20 million, some rich nutcase might come up with the $10 million to plunk down.

[Wednesdays]

30. K&R

:kick:

[jmowreader]

33. There's no real justification for giving Roeder a bond at all

Go to our evil cousin who lives in Fresno, and you'll be certain to find posts calling Scott Roeder a hero. I think that if he's ever released from jail the militant anti-woman faction in this country will ensure he's never seen again. The only way they're ever going to get this man to trial is to not let him leave state custody.