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A self-described “pro-choice terrorist” on Wednesday was sentenced to
41 months in federal prison for his 2010 internet death threats against
pro-life leaders like Fr. Frank Pavone and Princeton University law
professor Robert P. George.
Theodore Shulman, 51, was sentenced to 41 months in prison in Manhattan
federal court. He will also face three years of supervised release, the
Federal Bureau of Investigation said.
“I have already publicly forgiven Mr. Shulman and pray for him every
day,” Fr. Pavone, the head of Priests for Life, said Oct. 4.
The priest renewed his previous joint statement with Bill Baird, a
proponent of legal abortion, that Fr. Pavone said rejected “hatred and
violence in word and deed between those on opposite sides of the
abortion issue.”
U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara of the Southern District of New York said
the sentencing shows that advocating one’s point of view through threats
of violence is illegal and “will be punished.”
“The vibrant exchange of ideas that is a hallmark of our society does not include threats,” he said Oct. 3.
In May, Shulman pled guilty to one count of transmitting a threat to injure another person.
In January 2010 he left a message on the FirstThings.com blog “Second
Hand Smoke” which referred to the trial of Scott Roeder, the murderer of
Kansas abortionist George Tiller.
Shulman said that if Roeder were acquitted, “someone will respond by
killing” Prof. George and Fr. Pavone, the head of the pro-life group
Priests for Life.
He allegedly left a threatening voice mail message with the
Calif.-based Life Legal Defense Foundation’s legal director Catherine
Short. Pro-life blogger Jill Stanek has said Shulman has made threats
against her. He also reportedly threatened Troy Newman, president of the
Kansas-based Operation Rescue.
At the time of Shulman’s February 2011 arrest, he had cyanide, castor peas and rosary peas in his possession. Both types of peas contain deadly toxins that are capable of killing humans.
At the time of Shulman’s February 2011 arrest, he had cyanide, castor peas and rosary peas in his possession. Both types of peas contain deadly toxins that are capable of killing humans.
He is the son of feminist activist and author Alix Kates Shulman. He
started a blog called “Operation Counterstrike” whose mission statement
said “Right-to-lifism is murder, and ALL right-to-lifers are
bloody-handed accessories. Swear it, believe it, proclaim it, and act on
it.”
