Abortion doctor's killer loses bid to have federal case dismissed

The man who said he fatally shot an abortion doctor with a high-powered rifle through a window will not be allowed to talk about his anti-abortion views or show pictures of aborted fetuses at his federal trial scheduled to begin next month, a federal judge ruled Thursday.

Photo: Abortion doctor's killer loses bid to have federal case dismissed

James Kopp, 52, was among the FBI's most-wanted criminals and was a fugitive for 2 1/2 years before being captured in France in 2001.

Kopp who is preparing his own defense from jail has argued the case against him should be dismissed.

The anti-abortion protester had hoped to argue at his trial that he shot Slepian to save the lives of unborn babies, and that the shooting was therefore justified.

Kopp is already serving a state prison sentence of 25 years to life after being convicted of second-degree murder in the 1998 shooting of Dr. Barnett Slepian. He faces a life term if found guilty of the federal charges of violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act.

In another brief, he said a government prosecutor had implied he believed Kopp's claims he was only trying to wound Slepian. The prosecutor denied making any such statement.

U.S. District Judge Richard Arcara rejected all of Kopp's arguments, reports AP.

Kopp will not even be allowed to talk about his religious or moral reasons for opposing abortion because they are irrelevant, Arcara ruled.