Judge denies change of venue for trial of man charged with killing Kan. abortion provider

Judge: No change of venue in Kan. abortion trial

WICHITA, Kan. — A judge in Kansas has denied a request to move the murder trial for the man charged with killing one of the nation’s few doctors who performed late-term abortions.

The change of venue motion was the first of several Sedgwick County District Judge Warren Wilbert was to hear Tuesday in the case of Scott Roeder. Roeder is accused of shooting Dr. George Tiller on May 31 at the abortion doctor’s Wichita church.

The 51-year-old has confessed to shooting Tiller, which he says was necessary to save unborn children.

Roeder’s lawyers argued that pretrial publicity could hurt his chances for a fair trial in Sedgwick County.

Roeder is scheduled to go on trial Jan. 11 on one count of premeditated first-degree murder and two counts of aggravated assault.