George Richard Tiller (August 8, 1941 - May 31, 2009) is an American physician from Wichita, Kansas. He received national attention as medical director of the Women's Health Care Service, one of only three national clinics to provide long-term abortions.
During his term of office with the center, which began in 1975 and resumed his father's medical practice, Tiller was often subjected to protests and violence by anti-abortion groups and individuals. After his clinic was set on fire in 1986, Tiller was shot in both arms by Shelley Shannon's anti-abortionist extremist in 1993. On May 31, 2009, Tiller was shot dead on the head by anti-abortion extremist Scott Roeder, as Tiller served as an introduction during Sunday worship morning at his church in Wichita. Roeder was convicted of murder on January 29, 2010, and was sentenced to life in prison.
Video George Tiller
Careers
Tiller was born in Wichita, Kansas, son of Catherine and Dean Jackson "Jack" Tiller, MD. He studied at the University of Kansas School of Medicine from 1963 to 1967. Shortly thereafter, he held a medical apprenticeship with the United States Navy, and served as an aviation surgeon at Camp Pendleton, California, in 1969 and 1970. In July 1970 , he plans to start a dermatology residency. However, on August 21, 1970, her parents, sister and brother-in-law were killed in a plane crash. In his will, his sister requested that Tiller take care of his one-year-old son. Tiller intends to return to Wichita, shut down his father's family practice, and then again become a dermatologist. However, he quickly felt the pressure to take over the practice of his father's family. Tiller's father had an abortion in his practice. After hearing about a woman who had died of an illegal abortion, Tiller remained in Wichita to continue her father's practice.
At the time of his death, Dr. Tiller was certified by the American Board of Family Practice, Associate of American Society of Addiction Medicine, and a clinical instructor at the Department of Family Medicine for Wesley Medical Center, where he was previously president of medical staff.
Tiller's practice has long-term abortions, which makes Tiller a focal point for anti-abortion and violent protests. Treatment of treated pups who discovered late in pregnancy that their fetus had a severe or fatal birth defect. He also failed a healthy final fetus in cases where two doctors claimed that carrying a fetus for a long period would cause women "substantial and irreversible damage from major body functions". His practice often keeps him focused on anti-abortion groups. The Kansas for Life coalition keeps on a daily watch outside Tiller's facility from May 9, 2004, until May 31, 2009. The group known as Operation Rescue held an event called 'The Summer of Mercy' in July and August 1991, focusing on Tiller's clinic but also protested against other abortion providers in Wichita, Kansas. Years later, a separate branch of the main Rescue Operations group moved from California to Kansas specifically to focus on Tiller, originally named Operation Rescue West.
The law in Kansas prohibits abortion after the onset of fetal viability unless two doctors state that continuing the pregnancy will cause the woman to be "a substantial and irreversible disorder of major body functions". Both consultant doctors should not be "financially affiliated" with the doctor who has the abortion. Tiller was charged with 19 minor offenses for allegedly consulting a second doctor in a recent abortion case in 2003 that was not really "unaffiliated". This case is the cause of a cesarean for supporters and opponents of legal abortion. WorldNet Daily columnist Jack Cashill compares the trial with the Nuremberg Trial against Nazi war criminals, while Icahn Medical School at Mount Sinai Professor Jacob Appel describes Tiller as "a true hero next to Susan B. Anthony and Martin Luther King Jr. in the defense pantheon human freedom ". The trial took place in March 2009, with the jury finding Tiller innocent of all charges on March 27, about two months before his death.
Maps George Tiller
Substance abuse
Dr Tiller struggled with substance abuse, which became heads in 1984 when he was arrested for driving under the influence. He sought treatment, overcame his difficulties, and then served on the medical doctor's committee of the Kansas Medical Society.
Negative publicity: The O'Reilly Factor
Tiller was discussed in 28 episodes of Fox News's The O'Reilly Factor talk show in the years leading up to his death, focusing national attention on his practice. Although later he denied it, host Bill O'Reilly sometimes described it as "Tiller the Baby Killer", a nickname used by Congressman Robert Dornan on the floor of the US House of Representatives. O'Reilly says he does not want to be Tiller, Kathleen Sebelius, and other Kansas-elect politicians "if there's a judgment day". On November 3, 2006, O'Reilly featured an exclusive segment on The O'Reilly Factor, saying that he had an "inside resource" with official clinical documentation showing that Tiller had an abortion at the end of the period to alleviate " temporary depression "in pregnant women. He characterized the doctor as "a barbarian wandering around, killing a baby unwillingly," and accusing him of "running a factory of death", and protecting child rape. She suggests that Tiller perform an abortion for women who have "little headaches or anxiety" or who feel "a bit blue". O'Reilly's campaign against Tiller included disclosure of confidential patient information in the air provided by former Kansas Attorney General Phill Kline, whose violation of the professional behavior of Kline's legal license was finally suspended indefinitely. Kline obtained some notes provided through his request to composer Tiller, Dr. Kristin Neuhaus, whose prosecution was pursued after Dr. Tiller, and illegally reveal it, including discussing it with O'Reilly on television.
After Dr. Tiller is killed, O'Reilly refuses to take responsibility and defends his campaign against Dr. Tiller, said: "When I heard about Tiller's murder I knew that pro-abortion fans and haters of Fox News would try to blame us for the crime, and that's what happened. [...] Every thing we say about Tiller is true , and my analysis is based on those facts. [...] Now, it is clear that the far left exploit - exploit- "The death of a physician. The ferocious people want to paralyze any criticism of the likes of Tiller. That - and hate Fox News - is the real agenda here. "
Violence is directed at Tiller
Throughout his career, Tiller has often been subjected to anti-abortion violence. In June 1986, his clinic was set on fire. While it is being rebuilt, Tiller displays a sign that reads "Hell no, we will not go". On August 19, 1993, anti-abortion extremist Shelley Shannon shot Tiller five times, while she was in her car. By the time he attacked Tiller, Shannon had been an anti-abortion activist for five years and had written a letter of support to the convicted murderer Michael Griffin, who had killed Dr. David Gunn. He calls her "hero". In his trial in state court, Shannon testified that there was nothing wrong with trying to kill Tiller. The jury punished Shannon for attempted murder, and she was sentenced to 11 years in prison. The following year, however, Shannon was sentenced to an additional 20 years in prison on charges of arson, interfering with forced trade and interstate travel in extortion aid in connection with his participation in several fires and acid attacks on abortion clinics.
The assassination of George Tiller in May 2009
Tiller was shot dead on the side of the head on May 31, 2009, by anti-abortion extremist Scott Roeder during a service at the Reform Lutheran Church in Wichita, where he served as an introduction and distributed church bulletins. After threatening to shoot the two people who were after him, Roeder escaped and escaped in the car. Three hours after the shooting, Roeder was arrested about 170 miles (270 km) on the outskirts of Kansas City. On June 2, 2009, Roeder was accused of first-degree murder and two counts of assault in connection with the shooting, then convicted in January 2010 on the charge, and was sentenced on April 1, 2010, life imprisonment without parole for 50 years, maximum sentence which is available in Kansas. The conditional term was then reduced to 25 years.
Tiller's murder was largely condemned by groups and individuals on both sides of the abortion issue. US President Barack Obama said he was "shocked and angry" by the killing. David N. O'Steen, director of the Committee on the Right to National Living, said the group "strongly denounces such acts of violence regardless of motivation". Some others who speak in public are more confrontational. Randall Terry's anti-abortion activist described Tiller as a mass murderer and said of other abortion providers, "We must continue to expose them to our community and peacefully protest them in their offices and homes, and yes, even their churches", and Southern Baptist minister and radio host Wiley Drake said, "I'm glad he died."
After the shooting, Tiller's colleague Leroy Carhart of Nebraska stated that Tiller's clinic, Women's Health Care Service, would reopen after being closed for a week to mourn his death. The following week, Tiller's family announced that the clinic would be permanently closed.
The aftermath of Tiller's murder is the subject of the 2013 documentary After Tiller, which follows the daily life and work of four long-term abortion providers in the United States.
The Abortion Fund George Tiller Memorial was established by the National Network of Abortion Funds.
Trust Women Foundation buys and reopens the clinic that Dr. George Tiller and currently operates as Southwind Women's Center doing abortions and other medical services. The Foundation currently operates two clinics; one in Wichita, KS and one in Oklahoma City, OK.
See also
- Abortion in the United States
- Anti-abortion violence
- Barnett Slepian
- David Gunn
References
External links
- George R. Tiller M.D. Memorial Fund
- Do Some Anti-Abortion Attack Domestic Terrorism? NOW on PBS Piece aired after Dr.'s death. Tiller
- "George Tiller talks about the history of violence against him and his medical practice," Kansas City The Pitch
- "Remember for Lifetime Service for Female Reproductive Health" Five women (two of whom are doctors) working with Dr. Tiller; Democracy Now! , June 1, 2009 (video, audio, and print transcript)
- Crime Complaint (Kansas v. Roeder) FindLaw, June 2, 2009
- A condolence letter was sent to the editor of The New York Times
Source of the article : Wikipedia
0 Comments