Abortion

Kansas Inmate Claims Anti-Choicer Asked Him to Firebomb the Home of Dr. Means

Papers filed in court by the U.S. Department of Justice reveal that a Kansas county jail inmate has asserted that Angel Dillard, a known anti-choice domestic terrorist, asked him last year to firebomb the home of Dr. Mila Means.

Papers filed in court by the U.S. Department of Justice reveal that a Kansas county jail inmate has asserted that Angel Dillard, a known anti-choice domestic terrorist, asked him last year to firebomb the home of Dr. Mila Means. Bomb on wooden table via Shutterstock

The Associated Press and The Wichita Eagle reported yesterday that Robert Campbell, an inmate in Sedgwick County, Kansas has asserted that domestic terrorist Angel Dillard asked him last year to firebomb the house of Dr. Mila Means, an abortion provider who sought to help fill the void in access to safe abortion care in Wichita, Kansas after the assassination of Dr. George Tiller.

Dillard is a well-known anti-choice terrorist now under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). She’s been linked to Scott Roeder, the man who murdered Dr. Tiller in the vestibule of his church in May 2009. As noted by the Eagle, DOJ sued Dillard in 2011 for sending an allegedly threatening letter to Dr. Means, an action she has claimed resulted from “god speaking to her.”

“Angel Dillard believed she was inspired by God to send a letter to Dr. Means in an attempt to convince her not to pursue her plan to abort babies in Wichita,” attorney Donald McKinney said. “Angel Dillard wrote the letter quickly, in a matter of minutes, and believed that her message was divinely inspired.”

According to AP/Eagle, Dillard’s letter to Means stated that thousands of people from across the nation were scrutinizing [Dr. Means] background and would know “your habits and routines.”

“They know where you shop, who your friends are, what you drive, where you live,” the letter said. “You will be checking under your car every day – because maybe today is the day someone places an explosive under it.”

Court filings in the case by DOJ also now reveal that Campbell wrote a letter to the court claiming to have information about “things he did for Dillard.” The documents record Campbell stating “he was backing out of the plot to firebomb Dr. Means and that he was afraid for his life – afraid (Dillard) would hire someone to kill him for backing out.” According to AP and the Eagle, other details of Campbell’s allegations remain under seal in federal court.

For her part, Dillard claims that Campbell attempted to blackmail her and threatened to tell prosecutors she had hired him to stalk and harass Means and to firebomb her house, according to the document.

Associated Press reporter Roxana Hegeman writes that she could not find a current location for Campbell to reach him for comment, and that “Dillard’s attorney, Don McKinney, did not immediately return a phone message.”

As we’ve reported, anti-choice terrorists are increasingly falling back on the “god defense” to argue their cases. Roeder, for example, claims his actions in murdering Dr. Tiller were motivated by “god.” Dillard now claims that her conversations with both Roeder and Campbell should be shielded rom disclosure under “priest-penitent” privilege. AP reports that a judge has ruled the communications are not protected since she is not ordained clergy, but the defense has appealed.

“Mr. Campbell has stated that Defendant requested that Mr. Campbell somehow target Dr. Means, and Defendant has stated that Mr. Campbell attempted to blackmail Defendant,” the government wrote. “Regardless of which is the truth, neither version of these communications reflects communications made to seek spiritual counseling.”

Now, as AP’s Hegeman notes, anti-choice terrorists have set their sites on another women’s health advocate. Wichita pastor Mark Holick has begun stalking Julie Burkhart, Executive Director of Trust Women, an organization seeking to restore access to safe abortion care in Wichita.

Holick allegedly picketed Burkhart’s home and neighborhood and handed out “wanted-style” flyers with inflammatory language. He’s also accused of pointing a sign at her house that read, “WHERE’S YOUR CHURCH,” and using a bullhorn to get her attention, according to a court filing. Holick also has been showing up at the Trust Women building.

Burkhart has obtained a temporary order of protection, and a hearing will be held on April 11th on a request to make the order permanent.

“He is engaging in a behavior meant to scare and intimidate me,” Burkhart said in her petition for the restraining order. “He also uses violent language, which I take very seriously.”

Holick is represented by Donald McKinney, the same lawyer representing Dillard.

In a state famous for its hostility toward the health and well-being of women and children, anti-choice violence and harassment continues to flourish.