"Kopp used his opening statement to tell jurors that Slepian's death...was not murder because it was not malicious or premeditated."

"Kopp has acknowledged planning the shooting for a year and then firing a high-powered military rifle with telescopic sights from the woods behind the Slepian home, but he has said he meant only to wound the doctor to prevent him from performing abortions."

Right. Because shooting someone isn't malicious. What the fuck it wasn't premeditated? He had only planned to cripple him for life? Shooting someone to death in full view of his wife and sons: what could be more pro-life?

Well, since he didn't actually intend to kill the guy... all is forgiven. Pshaw! What a fucktard!

I love the way these "pro-lifers" respect human life. What morons!

"Shoot them in the head, blow up a car, riddle their body with bullets like they do in the movies. That's how you kill someone" with premeditation, Kopp said.

I have never seen better evidence that anti-abortion activists have no relationship with reality.

"Mrs. Slepian, I just wanted to say I'm sorry. I respect you and your family," Kopp, 52, said quietly.

I'm glad he respected her family so much that he wanted four little kids to go through witnessing their dad in the hospital and being unable to work afterwards.

"I'm sorry I killed your husband. In front of your kids. On the day of their grandpa's funeral. After planning it for a year. But it was a total accident." And apparently, some group of random morons in New York bought it the first time, since he's not already serving a life term for first-degree murder.

Its cases like this that sorely test my anti-death penalty view. At least, if he's convicted there will be no parole. There's some justice in that, potentially.

Edo, although the sad part is that now he gets to live a life paid for by our tax dollars... ugh.

We need to revamp the prison system so there's some way to force criminals to ACTUALLY do socially beneficial work. I'm not even talking punishment, I'm just saying there's something perversely wrong about the notion that criminals have very few day to day obligations and still are fed, bathed, and clothed, while us law-abiding citizens do sometimes very taxing work for hours on end every single day of our adult lives, just so that we can have bread on the table and clothes on our backs. Yes, I know you can't put a price tag on freedom, but wage slavery is still a form of slavery.

We need to revamp the prison system so there's some way to force criminals to ACTUALLY do socially beneficial work.

Totally agree. One good place to start would be to have them grow their own food, organically.

there's something perversely wrong about the notion that criminals have very few day to day obligations and still are fed, bathed, and clothed, while us law-abiding citizens do sometimes very taxing work for hours on end every single day of our adult lives, just so that we can have bread on the table and clothes on our backs.

...and live relatively criminal-free. I mean, the benefit to us is that Kopp isn't out here with us anymore, and never will be again.

"He urged jurors to look for evidence of premeditation or malice toward Slepian. 'If you don't see it, that's me proving my case,' he said."

Um, didn't he say that he PLANNED it for a YEAR before time? How is that NOT premeditation? Or was he just planning the wounding? Even still, if he planned it for so long then why the hell wan't he able to maime the man effectively? I call bullshit on this soooooooooooo many different ways.

I think he's only sorry that he got caught and had he not he wouldn't have apologized to the widow he would have tried to prosleytize her and her kids, telling her her husband was a "murderer". Had he not gotten caught he probably would have (and still does) believe that the death was justifiable in order to save babies he has nothing to do with.

Agreed to an extent, Susan. But ideally we should be criminal-free anyway. It seems to me that the people who necessitate massive spending on law enforcement ought to have to earn their keep, same as anyone else.

Lets not forget the rape that people have to go through in prison. A few people here have made it sound like prison is an easy, pampered life, when in reality it is one of the most violent places you can be. However, I think sorry pieces of shit that murder people for their beliefs/job deserve to be there.

I think this fool needs to discover a dictionary and start looking at the meanings of words like "premeditated." And of course he's sorry, he's a sorry piece of shit. He couldn't say "I apologize for being a fucking moron and killing your husband, making your children fatherless, and forcing you to make ends meet in a still primarily sexist society." And the fact he said he RESPECTED her! He respected her and her family so much he killed the man she loved. I think he made me throw up a little.
How do you justify killing an adult that provides a service some women need/want? If you're so pro life, why are you killing people? In my eyes, pro lifers are like that white stuff that collects on the corners of your mouth when you're really thirsty. They have no common sense, no logic, and certainly no capabilities of reasoning. They are like cockroaches... they exist and get on people's nerves and after a nuclear holocaust they'll still exist because their aura of stupidity is so thick.

The sorrowful are repentent.
He's not sorry.He just feels sad because he got caught.

You're all right--he's not sorry for having done it, but rather sorry for having been caught.

That said, I'm delighted by his scaredy-cat response in court. He's been held up for admiration by some of the more aggressive antiabortion zealots (e.g., Army of God and sympathizers) for years. It looks like they're losing a hero as he backpedals in "selfish" plea for mercy. I hope so, anyway.

He just wanted another chance to tell all of us his views on abortion. That's all. And he hoped that apologizing first would soften up the judge to alow him to speak them. He was refused.

It was just another ploy from a heartless monster to get his agenda more press.

That's it.

(I live in Buffalo. This guy is in the local news all the time - when he should just be forgotten.)

hahahaha prarie you are so correct that this is a PERFECT example of how these yahoos have no relationship whatsoever with reality. none.at.all

takaia,

A few people here have made it sound like prison is an easy, pampered life, when in reality it is one of the most violent places you can be.

Sadly, that is not the case in fedearl minimum security penitentiaries. I don't know if that's where this sorry excuse for a person would end up, but those facilities are not particularly violent. Now state maximum security prisons...those are truly violent and nasty places.