Planned Parenthood shooting suspect to make first court appearance

Although West Hollywood is a very different environment than Colorado Springs – and, according to Reuters, there weren’t any anti-abortion protesters at the clinic’s grand opening on Tuesday – Planned Parenthood’s new health center opened with tight security. There was no discussion of the suspect’s motives during the brief hearing, and formal charges will be filed at a court appearance scheduled for December 9.

David Daleiden, who produced the shocking videos showing Planned Parenthood abortion clinics selling aborted babies and their body parts, strongly condemned the shooting.

The judge told Dear that if convicted of first-degree murder he faces a minimum sentence of life without parole or a maximum of death.

The Attack: On Friday morning, police received a call about an active shooter near the Planned Parenthood facility in Colorado Springs.

Several vigils were held at the weekend in Colorado Springs, a place known for its conservative politics and fundamental religious groups.

Sue Dunlap, president and chief executive of Planned Parenthood Los Angeles, said the inauguration ceremony was aimed in part at demonstrating the organisation’s commitment to keeping its doors open.

U.S. Justice Department officials have joined the investigation by state and local authorities, raising the possibility the federal government could bring a terrorism or civil rights case against Dear, or both.

Public defender Daniel King, who represented Colorado cinema gunman James Holmes, will act as Dear’s lawyer.

Ke’Arre Stewart, a 29-year-old Iraq War veteran, was struck by a bullet outside the center after walking out to talk on his cellphone.

Barbara Micheau, who was married to Dear for seven years before they split in 1993, says Dear had targeted Planned Parenthood before, although far less violently. The woman in the case said in a police report that Dear had asked her out numerous times, even though she refused, and eventually he came to her apartment and sexually assaulted her, the Times reported. During the five-hour incident that ended in Dear’s surrender, nine other people were wounded.

Dear’s phrase recalled the controversy surrounding the secretly recorded videos of Planned Parenthood officials discussing how the organization provided fetal tissue to researchers. Her father told the AP she was “kind-hearted and lovable”.