8 months ago
The widow of Dr. Barnett Slepian appeared in Albany Thursday afternoon to support a bill proposed by Assemblyman Sam Hoyt (D-144th District).
The Buffalo lawmaker said he's calling for harsher punishments for people who try to interfere with an abortion by committing acts of violence against doctors, clinical staff, volunteers, or patients. Such acts that result in physical injury would be elevated from misdemeanor crimes to felonies.
"New York state would be the first in the nation to recognize the serious nature of these crimes by passing a law that creates enhanced penalties," Hoyt said.
Speaking along with Hoyt was Lynne Slepian. Her husband was a Buffalo abortion doctor who was shot and killed sniper-style in his Amherst home in October of 1998.
"In order to bring an end to tragedies such as my husband's and Dr. Tiller's murders, we as citizens of New York state need to take action," Slepian said.
Pro-life advocates have stepped out in opposition to the bill with national group Operation Rescue calling it "unconstitutional in America" to afford special privileges to certain groups of people.
Locally, Derby attorney Stasia Vogel said Hoyt should be ashamed for using the recent murder of Kansas abortion doctor George Tiller for publicity.
She issued a statement that read, in part, "Hoyt seeks to misuse a crime in another state to show-boat and tar tens of millions of decent Americans who have given their lives to defend the defenseless child awaiting birth in the womb by unneeded alarmist proposals to unfairly defame the pro-life cause."
Slepian family attorney Glenn Murray said the bill Hoyt proposes is something Dr. Bart Slepian sought prior to his death. He added that the enhanced penalties would not impact peaceful protests, only acts of violence.
"The victims of these kinds of assaults are in a special danger, danger which has continued and these victims deserve added protection because of that danger," Murray said.
