Abortion Shooting Trial
Scott Roeder, accused of murdering prominent Kansas abortion provider Dr. George Tiller, testifies at his trial on Thursday Jan. 28, 2010 in Wichita...
Scott Roeder, accused of murdering prominent Kansas abortion provider Dr. George Tiller, testifies at his trial on Thursday Jan. 28, 2010 in Wichita, Kansas. Roeder testified that he killed Tiller in the foyer of Tiller's Wichita church on May 31. The 51-year-old Roeder also said he believes abortion is murder. (AP Photo/Jeff Tuttle, Pool)
Abortion Shooting Trial
Scott Roeder, accused of murdering prominent Kansas abortion provider Dr. George Tiller, listens while the judge speaks at his trial on Thursday Jan....
Scott Roeder, accused of murdering prominent Kansas abortion provider Dr. George Tiller, listens while the judge speaks at his trial on Thursday Jan. 28, 2010 in Wichita, Kan. Roeder testified that he killed Tiller in the foyer of Tiller's Wichita church on May 31. The 51-year-old Roeder also said he believes abortion is murder. (AP Photo/Jeff Tuttle, Pool)
Abortion Shooting Trial
Scott Roeder swears an oath before testifying in his own defense at his first-degree murder trial on Thursday, Jan. 28, 2010 in Wichita, Kan. Roeder,...
Scott Roeder swears an oath before testifying in his own defense at his first-degree murder trial on Thursday, Jan. 28, 2010 in Wichita, Kan. Roeder, a man accused of murdering prominent Kansas abortion provider Dr. George Tiller, promptly admitted that he fatally shot Tiller in an attempt to save unborn children. (AP Photo/Jeff Tuttle, Pool)
Abortion Shooting Trial
Pro-life activist Randall Terry sits in the public gallery during Scott Roeder's murder trial on Thursday, Jan. 28, 2010 in Wichita, Kan. Roeder, a m...
Pro-life activist Randall Terry sits in the public gallery during Scott Roeder's murder trial on Thursday, Jan. 28, 2010 in Wichita, Kan. Roeder, a man accused of murdering prominent Kansas abortion provider Dr. George Tiller, took the stand in his own defense Thursday and promptly admitted that he fatally shot Tiller in an attempt to save unborn children. (AP Photo/Jeff Tuttle, Pool)
A judge has ruled that a jury cannot consider a lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter for a man charged with murdering prominent Kansas abortion provider Dr. George Tiller.
Scott Roeder has admitted killing Tiller but has pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree murder and aggravated assault. His defense team had argued for the lesser charge, arguing that Roeder believed he had to kill Tiller to save the lives of unborn children.
Voluntary manslaughter in Kansas is defined as "an unreasonable but honest belief that circumstances existed that justified deadly force." It also involves proving imminent danger of an unlawful act.
Judge Warren Wilbert ruled on the possible charges after the defense rested Thursday afternoon.
