A man who says it's OK to use a gun to defend the rights of unborn children was given 25 years to life Friday for murdering an American doctor who performed abortions.

James Kopp, 48, received the maximum penalty. He faced a minimum of 15 years to life.

James Kopp
James Kopp

Before Friday's sentencing, a remorseless Kopp insisted that he only meant to wound Dr. Barnett Slepian. But he also said that the physician's life was no more precious than a fetus, and he argued that violence was justified in fighting abortions.

"Why should the safety of Dr. Slepian be put over the safety of unborn children?" he asked Friday in his first address to the court. Kopp's previous statements had been made by his lawyer.

"I wish I could do 10 life sentences or 10 death penalties to save them."

Kopp used a high-powered rifle with a scope to shoot Slepian at the victim's home near Buffalo, N.Y., in October 1998. The single bullet went through the kitchen window and struck Slepian, 52, killing him in front of his family.

The anti-abortion extremist, who is also accused of trying to kill at least one Canadian doctor in a similar attack, was convicted of second-degree murder in March.

Righteousness versus immorality

"It's clear the act is premeditated. There is no doubt about it," said Erie County Court Judge Michael D'Amico as he sentenced Kopp.

"You made an attempt to avoid responsibility for the act," D'Amico said. "What may appear righteous to you is immoral to someone else."

Some groups that support a woman's right to abortion had urged the judge to impose the maximum sentence.

"As a society we cannot allow people to take the law into their own hands in order to advance their own personal, political agendas," wrote Vicki Saporta, the head of the National Abortion Federation, in a letter to the court.

Kopp is a suspect in some other sniper attacks in the U.S. and Canada. He faces an attempted murder charge for wounding a doctor in Ancaster, Ont., in 1995.

Authorities also want to question him about similar shootings in Winnipeg and Vancouver. Ottawa has not requested extradition, and his lawyer told the CBC Friday that he doubts Washington would grant the request.

Bruce Barket noted that his client is still facing a separate trial in a U.S. federal court on a charge of interfering with the right to an abortion – which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison.

After killing Slepian in 1998, Kopp fled to Mexico and then to Ireland. When he was captured in France in 2001, he was considered one of the FBI's most-wanted fugitives.