Anti-abortion jail mailings back violence

WICHITA, Kan. — A man charged with shooting a prominent Kansas doctor who performed late-term abortions has been communicating with individuals on the fringes of the anti-abortion movement and advocating through mailings from his jail cell that such killings are justifiable, weeks after suggesting others might be planning similar attacks.

Scott Roeder, 51, is charged with first-degree murder and aggravated assault in the May 31 death of Dr. George Tiller.

From his cell in the Sedgwick County jail, Roeder has been sending anti-abortion pamphlets that laud Paul Hill, who was convicted of murdering an abortion provider in 1994, as an "American hero,” and include examples of Hill’s writings about how the killing of abortion providers is justifiable.

Roeder has also been corresponding with the Rev. Donald Spitz — whose Army of God group’s Web site celebrates Hill and who says he sent Roeder seven of the pamphlets at Roeder’s request — and Linda Wolfe, an Oregon activist who has been jailed about 50 times for anti-abortion activities.

No one has accused Roeder of breaking any laws because of his correspondence. But local and federal law enforcement agencies took seriously a threat Roeder made during a June 7 interview with The Associated Press that there are "many other similar events planned around the country as long as abortion remains legal.” A judge raised Roeder’s bond to $20 million, citing his comment to the AP.

FBI and Justice Department officials declined to comment about whether they were concerned about Roeder’s jailhouse contacts.