Barnett Abba Slepian(April 23, 1946 – October 23, 1998) was an American physician andabortionprovider who wasassassinatedin his home byJames Charles Kopp,a militant member of theUS anti-abortion movement.
Barnett Slepian | |
|---|---|
 Photo of Slepian used by theNew YorkDaily News | |
| Born | Barnett Abba Slepian April 23, 1946 |
| Died | October 23, 1998(aged 52) Amherst, New York,U.S. |
| Cause of death | Assassination by gunshot |
| Alma mater | University of Denver Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara |
| Occupation | Physician |
Life and career
editSlepian was born inCambridge, Massachusetts,and raised inRochester, New York;his grandfather was a Jewish immigrant from Russia. Slepian graduated from theUniversity of Denverwith azoologydegree. He then graduated fromUniversidad Autónoma de Guadalajaramedical school in 1978.[1]
Slepian worked at Buffalo Women Services inBuffalo, New York,providing abortion for members of the local and surrounding communities.[2]He also ran his own privateOB-GYNpractice inAmherst, New York,where he also resided.
On October 23, 1998, Slepian had returned fromsynagogue,where he was attending a memorial service for his father, and was preparing soup in his kitchen when he was struck by a bullet fired through his window. The bullet shattered his spine and tore his aorta, barely missing his son's head as it exited.[3]He died two hours later.[4]Earlier that afternoon, Slepian's wife Lynne had forwarded a warning of potential attacks on her husband to a local police inspector.[5]
Within days of Slepian's murder,anti-abortiongroups rallied and staged clinic protests in Buffalo andRochester, New York.While local leaders from both sides of theabortion debatedecried these rallies as potential incitements to further violence, more extreme opponents of reproductive rights, such asFlip BenhamofOperation Rescue,labeled calls for nonviolence "pitiful" and suggested that unless abortion was outlawed, "we are in store for more bloodshed in the streets—the likes of which will sicken even the sturdiest among us."[2]This murder was the climax of a series of five sniper attacks in four years in northernNew YorkandCanada.Slepian was the third doctor and up to that time the seventh person in the United States to bemurdered for performing abortions.[6]
Following Slepian's murder, Kopp fled the U.S., being placed on theFBI Top Ten Most Wantedlist, but was arrested inFrancein 2001 and extradited. He was tried and convicted of second degree murder in Buffalo and is currently serving a 25 years to life term of imprisonment. Kopp was also convicted of federal charges and sentenced to life in prison without parole.
TheAni DiFrancosong "Hello Birmingham", from her 1999 albumTo The Teeth,was written as a response to the Slepian murder.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^Rogers, Patrick (November 9, 1998)."Ambushed".People.Archivedfrom the original on 2012-05-20.RetrievedApril 20,2013.
- ^abStein, Jeff (1999-04-17)."Celebrating murder".Salon.Archivedfrom the original on 2008-06-29.Retrieved2008-12-18.
- ^Robb, Amanda."The Last Clinic Standing".Marie Claire.Archivedfrom the original on 2010-11-04.Retrieved2011-02-08.
- ^"Barnett A. Slepian".Archivedfrom the original on 2012-03-25.Retrieved2011-02-08.
- ^"Murder in disguise".The Vindicator.October 29, 1998. pp. Opinion.RetrievedFebruary 7,2011.
- ^NARAL Pro-Choice America Foundation. (2006).Clinic violence and intimidationArchived2010-02-11 at theWayback Machine.Retrieved February 9, 2010
External links
edit- "Murder of New York abortion doctor denounced as 'terrorism'".CNN. October 24, 1988.
- Lisa Bennett-Haigney (Winter 1999)."Doctor Murdered as Anti-Abortion Violence and Terrorism Continue".National NOW Times.Archived fromthe originalon 2006-01-17.
- "Abortion doctor murder suspect held".BBC News.March 29, 2001.
- Jeff Stein (April 17, 1999)."Celebrating murder".Salon.
- Article from Chicago Tribune (registration required)
- "My Father's Abortion War".The New York Times Magazine.January 22, 2006.