Media Ban to Be Reviewed in Abortion Shooting Case

(CN) - The Kansas Supreme Court ordered a judge to reconsider his decision to exclude reporters from attending jury selection in the murder trial of a man charged with killing abortion provider Dr. George Tiller.

The Associated Press and three other news outlets had urged the state high court to reverse Judge Warren Wilbert's decision last week to close jury selection in the trial of Scott Roeder, who confessed to killing Tiller to protect "preborn babies," the Los Angeles Times reported Wednesday.

Wilbert had ruled that the media might have a "chilling effect" on potential jurors.

The news outlets argued that their exclusion would improperly shut out the public from the process.

Jury selection is scheduled to begin this week.

Roeder, 51, of Kansas City, Mo., is charged with first-degree murder for shooting Tiller on May 31, 2009, at his church in Wichita, Kan. He also faces two counts of aggravated murder for allegedly pointing his gun at two ushers.

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