(I’m not sure if this goes here or MPSIMS. I’ve got opinion stuff in here, so…)
James Kopp, the confessed killer of Amherst, NY, abortion provider Dr. Barnett Slepian, was convicted today around 2:15 PM EST of intentional murder (sorry, don’t have the statute handy).
This was a non-jury trial under stipulated facts, meaning that both sides agreed to a presentation of facts (in the form of thirty-five pages of text detailing what testimony would have been given), and Judge Michael D’Amico simply ruled on the facts and how the law applied to them.
Nothing was said about the second count, murder with depraved indifference to human life.
I was in the courtroom, which was absolutely packed. Kopp is thin, his face sunken and his clothes loose. For reasons that aren’t clear, he wore a purple sport coat and white shirt. I couldn’t see his shoes, pants or whether he had a tie on.
James Kopp, incidentally, is a bastard. I can’t possibly imagine how he thought he would be helping the pro-life cause by murdering someone, and while I understand that from a strict utilitarian standpoint murdering one to save the lives of many is acceptable, but our laws are not strict utilitarian morality.
I’m not sure what the maximum sentence is for the crime, since they didn’t refer to it as “murder in the first degree” or anything. All the same, I hope he rots in jail.
I don’t think I can say what I want to about Kopp in this forum, so I won’t.
What I will say is that I’m impossibly ashamed that someone who works at my university wrote a letter to the Buffalo News attempting to justify his actions. And even more ashamed that that person signed the name of our place under his name. Thanks for speaking on our behalf. :rolleyes:
Duke, can I assume you’re at NU? I don’t remember the letter, but frankly, it doesn’t surprise me that there are wackos there as well as at UB.
I just hope that the Army of God lays off and doesn’t continue picketing and protesting. If I see one more “SAVE A BABY - CALL A KOPP” sign taped to a 3x5’ photo of an aborted fetus, I may not be held accountable for my actions.
OK, so now I can call Kopp a fuckin’ slimeball. Thanks.
Ace: Yep. Let me add, though, that our administration does not see it the same way, and told said employee that, in the future, he was not to presume that he was allowed to speak for NU. I’m not pro-life, but I don’t mind others having that opinion. I did mind our place being labeled pro-shoot-a-doctor-in-the-back-with-an-assault-rifle.
I completely understand that your administration doesn’t think that way, Duke, and I probably should have been clearer about that.
Let me just add that the stipulated facts are really, really interesting. Apparently Kopp has been using the name Clyde Swenson, for some reason. Also, the testimony of early-morning joggers (!) is what led directly to his conviction.
On the news tonight, I heard (according to the defense attorney) that he’s going to take the stand at his sentencing to “explain the point of view that led him to act the way he did.”
Doesn’t really tie in to Kopp’s bastard-dom, but is it just me, or did he have the stupidest legal strategy ever? “Yes, your honor I shot him. Yes, I intended to shoot him. But I didn’t mean to kill him.” WTF IS THAT? Ahh…fuck it…guy’s getting off light, IMHO
AvidReader, apparently Kopp will now face the Federal charges against him for obstructing access to the clinic. THEN we get to try him for attempted murder.
I hope the prosecution has enough to nail him for the other shootings, as well as that of Dr. Hugh Short.
Ender_Will, it’s not that crazy of a strategy, really. He had no real hope of being found non guilty with the facts in evidence, particularly if he’d stuck with a jury trial. The U.S. already agreed not to seek the death penalty in order to get him extradicted from France, so he’s no worse off making the trial short and sweet.
With regard to Canada getting “its shot” at him, our punishments tend to be less harsh than those in the U.S. For instance, a life sentence in Canada is 25 years, not 99 that most U.S. states have.
Ender_Will, it’s not that crazy of a strategy, really. He had no real hope of being found non guilty with the facts in evidence, particularly if he’d stuck with a jury trial. The U.S. already agreed not to seek the death penalty in order to get him extradicted from France, so he’s no worse off making the trial short and sweet.
With regard to Canada getting “its shot” at him, our punishments tend to be less harsh than those in the U.S. For instance, a life sentence in Canada is 25 years, not 99 that most U.S. states have.
Cerowyn: In New York State, there is a felony crime of “reckless endangerment to life” resulting in a death which carries very similar penalties to second-degree murder. That was the back-up charge in case the second-degree murder count fell through. Fortunately, it didn’t have to be invoked…but you can see why admitting to it would be insane.
Then again, since it was James “Atomic Dog” Kopp, that’s just par for the course.
Duke, most companies frown upon this. Depending on where you work, you might want to bring this up to someone in human resources. Unless that worker is charged with spreading the official opinion of your employer, he could and should be in deep doo-doo.
I would have assumed that with a jury, Kopp’s attorney might have had a better shot at selecting in such a way that he could have guaranteed a hung jury, at the very least.
