By Gudrun Schultz
TOPEKA, Kansas, February 15, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Criminal charges against Kansas abortionist George Tiller will not be reinstated, the Kansas Supreme Court ruled Feb.13, although the current state Attorney General has the option of renewing the investigation.
Previous Attorney General Phill Kline filed charges against Tiller last year, after multiple accusations were levied against the abortionist, including performing illegal abortions and falsifying records. Kline’s investigation into the affair led to 30 misdemeanor charges against Tiller, accusing him of conducting 15 illegal late-term abortions in 2003, on women and girls ranging in age from 10 to 22.
While state law prohibits abortion of a healthy baby after 22 weeks of pregnancy unless the mother is in danger of “substantial and irreversible” harm to a major bodily function,
Kline said records showed the late-term abortions were performed after diagnoses for depression, stress or anxiety.
District Attorney Nola Foulston succeeded in getting the charges dismissed in December 2006 by a Sedgwick County judge on jurisdictional grounds. Special Prosecutor Don McKinney, appointed by Kline, petitioned the Supreme Court to reopen the case, but new Attorney General Paul Morrison, who was elected in November, fired McKinney on his second day after taking office in January and asked that the petition be withdrawn.
“We need to be asking why the DA and the Attorney General would go to such lengths to keep the case against Tiller from moving forward, even to the point of risking the obvious appearance of corruption. What are they afraid of?” said Operation Rescue president Troy Newman, in a statement earlier today.
“It must not be forgotten that this case has never been dismissed on its merits. In fact, every judge that has reviewed the evidence has ruled that there is probable cause to believe that Tiller committed the crimes.”
Kline accused Morrison of conflict of interest in dismissing criminal charges against a major political supporter—Tiller donated significant funding to support anti-Kline advertising during Morrison’s election campaign last fall.
“This is not a proper action by the state’s chief law enforcement officer,” Kline said. “We have the fox guarding the hen house, and he’s just eaten one of the hens.”
Operation Rescue, along with other national pro-life organizations, is seeking a federal investigation into state officials’ failure to pursue the case.
“As long as Foulston and Morrison continue to protect Tiller from being held accountable in a court of law, this case will never go away. Rest assured that every legal avenue is being explored and pursued to ensure that Tiller is brought to justice,” Newman said.
See previous LifeSiteNews coverage:
Kansas Voters Let Abortionist, George “Tiller the Killer”, Possibly Avoid Criminal Investigation
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2006/nov/06110904.html
Woman Dies after being Rushed from George “the Killer” Tiller’s Late-Term Abortion Mill
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2005/jan/05012711.html
New Kansas Attorney General Immediately Fires Prosecutor of Abortionist Tiller
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/jan/07011107.html
Kansas Abortion Clinic Sends Another Woman to Hospital Weeks After Reported Death
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2005/feb/05021802.html
Kansas Abortionist Killed Late-Term Babies for “Maternal Depression”: Fox News
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2006/nov/06110606.html