This is short. I was hoping to tuck this into a fresh open thread. I've been watching the Roeder trial all week.
It was with a great deal of drama this community piled on to the proceedings in Wichita Kansas against the man who gunned down Dr. George Tiller in his church on May 31, 2009. The judge allowed the defense to attempt to build a case for voluntary manslaughter instead of first-degree murder. He said he would rule on it at the conclusion of evidence.
This afternoon, as of about five minutes ago, after listening to arguments from counsel, the judge ruled the ONLY verdict he will be instructing the jury to consider is premeditated, first-degree murder.
Closing arguments will start tomorrow at 9 am CT and the case should be submitted to the jury by noon, all this is pending the winter storm hitting Wichita. As the judge adjourned the proceedings for the day he said the court house has only closed once in his 15 years there, so if it's just snow, court will likely be in session.