Abortion Doctor's Murderer Convicted Again

(AP)  A man already serving time in a state prison for the sniper-shooting death of a doctor was convicted Thursday on a federal charge of targeting and killing the man because he provided abortions.

The jury deliberated about four hours over two days before deciding James Kopp violated the federal Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act in the 1998 slaying of Dr. Barnett Slepian.

Kopp, who represented himself during the two-week trial, tried to convince jurors during his closing arguments that he didn't mean to kill Slepian when he fired from woods into the doctor's Amherst home. Kopp said he intended only to wound him to prevent him from performing abortions the next day.

"If it happened the way I wanted it to, he would have his arm in a sling," said Kopp, who is serving a 25-year-to-life state sentence. He faces life in prison without parole for the federal conviction.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen Mehltretter argued Kopp's long and careful planning of the shooting and his choice of weapon — a Russian military assault rifle — proved his deadly intent.

"If you want to injure a person, you don't shoot them with a high-powered rifle," Mehltretter said.

Kopp fled to Mexico, Ireland and France, where he was captured in March 2001. He had been added to the FBI's list of the 10 Most Wanted fugitives in June 1999.

[jshiel1]

AN EYE FOR AN EYE, ISN'T THAT WHAT WE SAY IN OUR STRUGGLE FOR JUSTICE ?? TAKING ANY HUMAN LIFE IS "DEAD" WRONG.. AND AS A PEOPLE WE NEED TO FOLLOW THE LAW, NOT TAKE IT INTO OUR OWN HANDS. HOPE HE GETS A "NICE" CELL MATE....

[bildooreilly]

Nothing good to say about the murderer but I thought we had laws on the books about "double jeapordy" and being tried for the same crime more than once in this country. Fact is he should have been tried on the federal level in the first place.

[hermit22]

Killing babies, is not nice.

[susanhelit]

Yeah, let's kill everyone we disagree with. I personally think meat is murder, so shooting a butcher is OK, right?

[nothappyatall]

Another prime example of a rightwing CHRISTIAN lunatic,and again- religion KILLS, let him rot in jail of old age.
Scary part is there a many more of these lunatic rightwing CHRISTIANS just like him out there who feel killing someone to "protect" a collection of unwanted cells in a woman's body is justified by the bi-BULL and their obsession with it.

[agnimsajacka]

I say "good job James Kopp". The doctor murdered people every day, James Kopp stopped him. More people should be like James.

[kerimparrot]

People,
He tried to maim the doctor who was a moving target.He was using an accurate rifle.
He should be executed and will have to face his GOD,ALLAH,BUDDA or who ever he worships.Sorry,that is the law in some places.
IMHO

[jw218389]

He clearly believes in Heaven and Hell. When Koop get there he can tell us if the Devil really wears a red suit.

He murdered a doctor in cold blood.

Rot in jail MURDERER!!

[dj0114]

Thank goodness the jury wasn't silly enough to believe he simply meant to hurt him to prevent the doctor from performing abortions.

Let us entertain his nonsensical jailhouse lawyer rational behind his actions: so does this mean he meant to go back time and time again to wound the doctor to prevent him from performing abortions every time the doc healed up?

Is anyone out there that dumb? The jury was not.

Goodbye James Kopp- enjoy prison life.