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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2009

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Texas Accidentally Bans Straight Marriage

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She gets primary custody; he doesn't object

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BIG BROTHER

Cops Use Facebook to Bust Underage Drinkers

Phony 'friend' gains access to drinking photos

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Boy Beaten
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Site inspired by South Park episode

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No skipping gratuity, restaurant says

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Mother of Slain
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kercher murder trial

Knox Acted Out of
'Hatred': Prosecutor

Closing argument speaks of 'crescendo of violence'

Nov 20, 09 2:57 PM CST
CASEY ANTHONY TRIAL

Defense Accuses Man Who Found Caylee's Body

Cops have already cleared utility worker

Nov 20, 09 12:12 PM CST

|NEXT STORY »

Mich. Anti-Abortion Activist Killed in Drive-By

Perp also admits to shooting local business owner; motive unclear

By Harry Kimball| Posted Sep 11, 09 2:29 PM CDT|

(Newser) – A prominent anti-abortion protester was gunned down this morning outside a Michigan high school, the Detroit Free Press reports. Owosso High School students were among the witnesses to the drive-by shooting, which police say was committed by a 33-year-old man who was arrested at his home and promptly confessed to killing a local businessman shortly before gunning down James Pouillon.

Pouillon, 63, was protesting across the street from the high school when he was shot. The suspect's views on abortion aren't known, authorities said. Michigan anti-abortion activists mourned his death. “Jim Pouillon is a hero,” says one. “He died for the cause of life.” Local residents were more measured in their assessment. “He was often vocal about what he thought and that was offensive to some people,” says one.

[Images (3)]

[Quotes (1)]

An Owosso police officer stretches a police line across Whitehaven Drive near Owosso High School in Owosso, Mich., as first responders work on a shooting victim this morning. (AP Photo)

A Shiawassee County Deputy photographs the scene of a shooting at the intersection of North Street and Whitehaven Drive near Owasso High School in Owosso, Mich., this morning. (AP Photo)

In an August 2002 photo, anti-abortion activist Jim Pouillon, left, has a heated discussion with a Planned Parenthood employee in Owosso, Mich. (AP Photo)

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

We had spoken to the gentleman before and insisted that he be off the school property with his message. - Susan Wooden, Owosso Schools Interim Superintendent

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

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Sarah Palin Deserves Some More Attention

55 comments

VIEWING:

RobN
Sep 11, 09 2:32 PM CDT

Countdown to people referring to this murderer as a hero in 3-2-1... Reply

-12

IN RESPONSE:

Realist
Sep 11, 09 2:35 PM CDT

I don't think that'll happen, Rob. There seems to be a marked difference in how the two sides of this argument see things. I imagine many people in the pro-choice camp will condemn this guy.

+18

IN RESPONSE:

ianakamel
Sep 11, 09 2:39 PM CDT

What do you take us for, anti-abortionists?

IN RESPONSE:

Realist
Sep 11, 09 2:47 PM CDT

@ian: Who is 'us' in this context? I initially replied to RobN because it implied pro-choice folks would welcome this act, just as (some) people in the anti-abortion camp praised the killing of the abortion doctor a few months back. I think any sensible person would agree that murder isn't appropriate in either case... But as 64481089 points out later, this may have just been a random shooting that happened to involve this guy. I suppose you could argue that if Mr Pouillon wasn't out there spreading his views he wouldn't have been in the 'wrong place at the wrong time', tho, but it's a moot point.

IN RESPONSE:

TRU2TM3
Sep 11, 09 3:03 PM CDT

RobN, You are sadly wrong. I am a very big pro-choice advocate, but this is truly reprehensible.

IN RESPONSE:

ianakamel
Sep 11, 09 3:10 PM CDT

Realist, my reply was to RobN's first message, and my usage of the word "us" referred to pro-choicers. Put differently, my initial question asks: What does RobN take pro-choicers for, anti-abortionists that applaud people who murder doctors?

IN RESPONSE:

AnnieChrist
Sep 11, 09 3:21 PM CDT

Robin is just displaying a little Freudian projection, the defense mechanism wherein the neurotic person 'projects' their faults and evil nature onto other people. Since Robin would applaud a murdering anti-abortionists, he assumes us pro-choicers would do the same. His comment is a view into his own psyche.

IN RESPONSE:

RobN
Sep 11, 09 3:52 PM CDT

You all know perfectly well, if you'd actually admit it, which you won't, that there would have been much rejoicing at the death of this guy if I hadn't posted first. Did I expect anybody to admit it? No. Did I expect anybody to explain to me how the pro-choice side is so much different and would never do such a thing? Yep.

-5

IN RESPONSE:

Toon
Sep 11, 09 4:03 PM CDT

The murders was a crazy nut, who seems to have shot a man in front of a bunch of kids because that man was displaying pictures of dead fetuses to kids. Though that fact that he killed another man and planned a third murder shows more that he was bent on killing people than on stopping protests.

IN RESPONSE:

2-bits
Sep 11, 09 4:48 PM CDT

This comment has been removed by Newser’s community. You must be logged in to view this comment.

IN RESPONSE:

BoZo
Sep 12, 09 1:09 PM CDT

Kind of the same way the murderer of the abortion doctor was a hero?

| 0 minutes ago

Realist
Sep 11, 09 2:34 PM CDT

Killing people who oppose your view doesn't help your cause. I was horrified when that abortion doctor was killed recently, and although I'm very pro-choice, I'm horrified by this, too. Committing murder in front of kids only adds to the stupidity. Reply

+11

IN RESPONSE:

Reader64481089
Sep 11, 09 2:38 PM CDT

That wasn't so much the case in this instant, the shooter had killed another man in an unrelated incident earlier. I live near the areas and this guy was just out to kill people today, some he knew and others at random, this anti abortion man was just a random target thus far it seems. Either way murder for any cause is still murder and never justifiable

| 0 minutes ago

Serenity
Sep 11, 09 2:46 PM CDT

The other victim owned a gravel company. Probably after some more investigation, they might find a common thread but it could very well be that the guy was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Reply

| 0 minutes ago

rajanKazhmin
Sep 11, 09 2:54 PM CDT

Seems random to me. Reply

| 0 minutes ago

dontlikeyou
Sep 11, 09 3:05 PM CDT

You won't hear much about this on the government media (CBS, NBC, ABC,CNN, etc. ad nauseum). Reply

-7

IN RESPONSE:

AnnieChrist
Sep 11, 09 3:32 PM CDT

This comment has been removed by Newser’s community. You must be logged in to view this comment.

IN RESPONSE:

Toon
Sep 11, 09 5:49 PM CDT

So was AnnieChrist's comment hidden for the word 'heck?' I guess I'll use' h-e-double-toothpicks' instead. I first heard the story on CNN so I'd have to say that dontlikeyou doesn't know what the h-e-double-toothpicks he is talking about.

IN RESPONSE:

super_soft_wizard
Sep 11, 09 6:31 PM CDT

Seems just like a random ass murder so far. He killed a random business owner first. Either way; you folks who 'predict' that pro-choice folks will revel in this are despicably wrong.

IN RESPONSE:

WallyEFunk
Sep 11, 09 9:52 PM CDT

Things U learn ... ad nau·se·am (d nôz-m) adv. To a disgusting or ridiculous degree; to the point of nausea. or to a boring or sickening extent. Annie Christ is right. Wrong context.

IN RESPONSE:

Shannonals
Sep 11, 09 11:40 PM CDT

@dontlikeyou: Nor will you see it on Fox news

IN RESPONSE:

Reader64481089
Sep 12, 09 7:44 AM CDT

Annie, for what ever reason they attempted to flag your comment they need to get over it, I knew you had done nothing to be flagged over and it is still much readable with a simple click. A thumbs up to you

IN RESPONSE:

Reader64481089
Sep 12, 09 7:48 AM CDT

It along with a hundred other murders this week in Michigan may very well not make the evening news on a National level, this one instant did make national level for a short time due to the anti abortion angle but it wasn't about abortion so the media all will probably dump it for a more juicy story. This was just another random idiot who decided that yesterday he was going to kill people he did not like in his community.....his 15 minutes of fame by killing people and no matter what your reason murder is wrong, and I don't give a damn what side a picket sign they are on nobody deserves to die in such a manner

| 0 minutes ago

MSCXYZ
Sep 11, 09 3:21 PM CDT

I am pro-choice and I am saddened by James Pouillon's death. The shooter does not represent us. I suspect that because there was another victim that the shooter was some one experiencing a psychotic episode and his actions have nothing to do with politics. Reply

| 0 minutes ago

LibertyMan
Sep 11, 09 3:58 PM CDT

Annie always loves to attack the messenger knowing full well the message is the truth. Lets see how much air time Obama Broadcasting gives this over the next two hours of prime time news. Let's just see Annie sweetiepie. I bet Don'tlikeYou is more right than you, but then you prefer the spelling and grammer lessons instead of truth lessons don't ya Hon? Reply

-6

IN RESPONSE:

VanessaRaeJ
Sep 12, 09 2:32 AM CDT

Don't be a fool - a pro-lifer was killed in what was possibly a random incident associated with another random killing that same day by the same guy. A horrible, saddening event. Pro-choicers are shot at, threatened, bombed, and killed for their beliefs all the time. You don't see every incident in the news and you never hear Obama going on about it unless some nutjob outright murdered a doctor for doing his job. If we find out this pro-lifers WAS murdered explicitly by some nutjob in a hate crime, THEN maybe he'll say something about it. Dontlikeyou is named dontlikeyou for a reason, and it is not because he/she is a loving, caring and open individual.

| 0 minutes ago

ClearSight
Sep 11, 09 4:03 PM CDT

There has been approximately......49,551,703....since Roe -V- Wade in 1973........Source..... http://www.nrlc.org/abortion/facts/abortionstats.html These numbers are taken from: Alan Guttmacher Institute Statistics and The CDC.....gee those numbers make Hitler, Stalin, Mao, East Timor, Guatemala, Yugoslavia, Rwanda and the Khmer Rouge headed by Pol Pot look like bloody amateurs..... Reply

-3

IN RESPONSE:

Robert_Dada
Sep 11, 09 4:29 PM CDT

Approximately 30% of all pregnancies result in miscarriage, making "God" the biggest abortionist of all time.

+16

IN RESPONSE:

IndependentThinker
Sep 11, 09 5:31 PM CDT

And the winner is... Robert_Dada

IN RESPONSE:

Toon
Sep 11, 09 5:36 PM CDT

That's not a fact but an opinion based on ignoring certain parts of the Bible and twisting others. If one believes in Bible literalism then life begins with the first breath. If one is not Christian/Jewish then the start of life is dependent on human definition of the meaning of the word.

IN RESPONSE:

Corona_Kinq
Sep 11, 09 6:12 PM CDT

Wow clearsight, I bet you wish you hadn't opened yourself up to that one.

IN RESPONSE:

ClearSight
Sep 11, 09 7:59 PM CDT

Robert_Dada is irrelevant.

-4

IN RESPONSE:

Shannonals
Sep 11, 09 11:42 PM CDT

@ClearSight: Robert_Dada must not be so irrelevant if you felt you had to respond to his comments.

| 0 minutes ago

doingtherightthing
Sep 11, 09 4:07 PM CDT

secular lefty trolls like "anniechrist" are why we fight SOB's like you. No remorse on his part about shooting a innocent person protesting. Just wants to comment on latin phases and ignore the truth. He doesn't care as long as he can be a wiseguy. What a asshole....... Reply

-7

IN RESPONSE:

AnnieChrist
Sep 11, 09 5:03 PM CDT

Your ignorance of language shows ignorance overall. It says to everyone you have never read a book in your life, therefore you have never developed critical thinking abilities. When you continue day after day posting the same assinine drivel here, despite getting more 'thumbs down' here than most sites get thumbs, you open yourselves to ridicule.

IN RESPONSE:

IndependentThinker
Sep 11, 09 5:32 PM CDT

Are you attacking her right of free speech rightting?!

IN RESPONSE:

doingtherightthing
Sep 11, 09 8:31 PM CDT

anti-christ........my hand is raised to you right now and my middle finger is saluting you....think about it.....".thinker".....not attacking free speech I'm attacking inhumanity to man to murder who has opposing views. We have rights to protest but not to murder. The terd of a person is anti-christ who is not respecting another life which was lost to murder. He's as bad as those who cheered at the twin towers falling.........

-2

IN RESPONSE:

VanessaRaeJ
Sep 12, 09 2:38 AM CDT

Who is the asshole, the one commenting on someone's linguistic ignorance, or the one calling someone else the anti-Christ? Hmmm... that's a tough one, rightthing! And your comment about leftist trolling - you are the biggest troll, and I'm feeding you a sirloin steak! Eat it - it's delicious. Do the right thing, rightthing, and don't go around calling everyone who disagrees with you the anti-Christ. What would Jesus do?

| 0 minutes ago

paul123
Sep 11, 09 4:17 PM CDT

Very sick thing to do. I'm very conservative, but I don't believe in gunning down anybody for being pro-choice. The battle needs to be fought at the ballot box, and not on the streets. Thank you pro-choice people who have already condemned this murderous action. Reply

IN RESPONSE:

IndependentThinker
Sep 11, 09 5:38 PM CDT

Your welcome. To bad when tiller was killed there wasn't the same from the pro-lifers.

| 0 minutes ago

Doctor_Zaius
Sep 11, 09 6:01 PM CDT

Just another angry person who gave up words for a gun. Or maybe he hated this dude for other reasons. Either way it's wrong. Reply

| 0 minutes ago

chas_m
Sep 11, 09 6:28 PM CDT

It is the pro-choice people who truly respect life, because we respect QUALITY of life, not just QUANTITY. It's not yet clear the man was murdered for his views or just as a random act of violence, but either way -- it is wrong, and the murderer should be held to the account. Reply

| 0 minutes ago

LibertyMan
Sep 11, 09 7:02 PM CDT

IThinker your full of shit and wishful thinking and trying to re-write history. I was here on the day Tiller was killed and most if not all of the conservative posters disavowed his murderer and condemned the violence. Stop being an asshole. I think most Americans despise violence, especially political violence. Political violence is what happens in third world countries, not here, and we as a people do not tolerate it nor do we easily tolerate fools like you. Reply

IN RESPONSE:

Fondue
Sep 11, 09 7:21 PM CDT

"and we as a people do not tolerate it nor do we easily tolerate fools like you." -- What do you think you're going to do about it? You feign Liberty as usual.

-1

IN RESPONSE:

njgreen
Sep 12, 09 2:30 PM CDT

"Political violence is what happens in third world countries, not here." OK LibertyMan, then tell your friends who bring guns to town hall meetings to stop turning the USA into a third world country.

| 0 minutes ago

LibertyMan
Sep 11, 09 7:59 PM CDT

Fondue man I think I am going to help kick your ass in the next election baby with your party dropping 24-62 seats in the house and losing the Senate. After all, elections matter! Now go drink some french wine fondue breath. Reply

IN RESPONSE:

Fondue
Sep 11, 09 10:13 PM CDT

Would that be part of your Liberty campaign? Do you still hate the French? Have some freedom frites.

IN RESPONSE:

VanessaRaeJ
Sep 12, 09 2:44 AM CDT

French wine is quite delicious! How kind of you to suggest something so lovely - especially after such a caustic comment. Oh, and it definitely wasn't all conservatives that were shocked at the death of Tiller - definitely a LOT of fundamentalists praising the actions of the murderer. Although, in your defense, that's the crazier part of your party. Too bad they make up such a large part of it... oops.

| 0 minutes ago

Adapt-Overcome
Sep 11, 09 8:52 PM CDT

They were both cooks. A man fighting to tell a woman what she can and can't do with her own body and a psycho who had lord only knows what problems. Neither can be considered a hero by any means. Reply

| 0 minutes ago

Derni
Sep 11, 09 8:54 PM CDT

don't kill cells-blastocysts-etc but kill developed human beings sick sad crass Reply

-1

| 0 minutes ago

yummines
Sep 11, 09 9:05 PM CDT

i think people are taking it out of context. he wasn't killed because he was anit-abortion, he was killed because the murderer liked killing people. but now "pro-life" people have ammo for their argument against abortion. my answer to whether im pro-choice or pro-life?: yes Reply

| 0 minutes ago

zackmasson
Sep 11, 09 10:37 PM CDT

Lol i have a feeling this guy shot him cause he said something rude to him and he already killed a mofo so figured fuck it and shot his ass. Pure speculation of course. :p They never fning say, Id really like to know if this gun was legal or not. Reply

-1

| 0 minutes ago

cognitivefilter
Sep 12, 09 12:25 AM CDT

one side, other side, one side, other side... Reply

-1

| 0 minutes ago

VanessaRaeJ
Sep 12, 09 2:23 AM CDT

This is probably one of the first murders that occurred in which a pro-lifer died, so OMG, it must have been because he was a pro-lifer!! Yeah right, who does the shootings usually? Pro-lifers. Who bombs abortion clinics? Pro-lifers. Who are the ones risking their lives trying to make a dangerous and morally ambiguous job safer for the women who choose to undergo said procedure? Pro-choicers - and why is that job dangerous for them? Oh yeah! Because of the pro-lifers that think it is okay to murder full-grown adults but not barely formed embryos, many of which God Himself terminates (miscarriages). The only dangerous ones in MOST cases having to deal with interactions between pro-choicers and pro-lifers? Oh yeah, the pro-lifers! Now that is not to say I would support these actions if the motives were socially driven, no pro-choicer ever supports the murder of an adult with an opposing view. Except maybe that one crazy murderer guy. Reply

| 0 minutes ago

oldgoat
Sep 12, 09 5:13 AM CDT

I look at it the same as when Tiller was killed. It was wrong no matter what the cause was. However I also remember several on the pro abortion that were favorable to the kill and the mainline groups didn't really protest all that much. However let's find out first if this is a case of being a killing because of being in the wrong place at the wrong time or just a hate killing. Since the guy admitted that he killed a businessman earlier I would tend to believe it is a random killing, but I'll wait to see for sure. Reply

-1

| 0 minutes ago

View all 55 comments »

murder • Michigan • protests • shooting • anti-abortion activists • Owosso • drive-by • abortion debate • James Pouillon

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Mich. Anti-Abortion Activist Killed in Drive-By

Perp also admits to shooting local business owner; motive unclear

[Images (3)]

[Quotes (1)]

Suspect Admits Shooting Abortion Doctor

'Pre-born children's lives were in imminent danger,' Roeder says

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murder • Michigan • protests • shooting • anti-abortion activists • Owosso • drive-by • abortion debate • James Pouillon

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Mich. Anti-Abortion Activist Killed in Drive-By

Perp also admits to shooting local business owner; motive unclear

[Images (3)]

[Quotes (1)]

Related Newser Stories

Suspect Admits Shooting Abortion Doctor

'Pre-born children's lives were in imminent danger,' Roeder says

MORE ABOUT: abortion • Kansas City • murder • George Tiller • Scott Roeder • late-term abortion • abortion debate

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Rattled Residents Flood Local Churches

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Infant Killed in LA Gang Shooting

Baby boy killed as he's fed in a parked car

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murder • Michigan • protests • shooting • anti-abortion activists • Owosso • drive-by • abortion debate • James Pouillon

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abortion • Kansas City • murder • George Tiller • Scott Roeder • late-term abortion • abortion debate

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