Contact: Troy Newman, President, 316-841-1700; Cheryl Sullenger, Senior Policy Advisor, 316-516-3034; both with Operation Rescue, info@operationrescue.org

WICHITA, Aug. 28 /Christian Newswire/ -- The District Attorney's office has informed Mark Gietzen that it will not pursue charges against abortionist George Tiller for vehicular assault after Tiller struck Geitzen with his Jeep outside his late-term abortion mill in Wichita, Kansas.

The incident occurred on the evening of April 6, 2006, when Geitzen and another pro-lifer were measuring the width of the driveway to clear up questions about other incidents that had taken place earlier in the week. While exiting the driveway Tiller, gunned his vehicle at the two men, who had no opportunity to move out of the way. Geitzen was stuck by Tiller's vehicle and sustained injuries to his leg and arm.

Geitzen unsuccessfully sued Tiller in small claims court. However, during that case, which was dismissed on a technicality, one of Tiller's attorneys met with Geitzen and Operation Rescue's Cheryl Sullenger, and showed them images of the incident allegedly taken from Tiller's security camera.

"Those images appeared to have been doctored," said Sullenger. "The security camera snaps still photos every 3 seconds, but the images we were shown had several second gaps between images, and several different images had exactly the same time stamp. In my mind, I was sure that someone had tampered with the evidence to hide the truth."

Geitzen then reopened the matter with the police and District Attorney Nola Foulston.

Geitzen and Sullenger met with police and were shown the unaltered images that officers extracted from Tiller's security camera immediately following the incident. Those images clearly showed Tiller's vehicle striking Geitzen while Geitzen unsuccessfully tried to push himself away to avoid injury. They also confirmed that the images Tiller's attorney had shown had indeed been altered.

Yesterday, Geitzen met with assistant District Attorney Kim Parker, who told Geitzen there would be no prosecution.

"There was no logical explanation given as to why this decision was made," said Geitzen.

"The evidence that I saw was clear, and I think the average person viewing it would reach the same conclusion, that Tiller intentionally struck Geitzen with his Jeep, and efforts were made to cover it up," said Sullenger. "This is another example of officials excusing Tiller's criminal acts. It also creates a dangerous atmosphere for peaceful pro-lifers outside of Tiller's clinic. The next time Tiller snaps, he may kill someone, and the responsibility for that will rest directly at the doorstep of District Attorney Nola Foulston." 

About Operation Rescue
Operation Rescue is one of the leading pro-life Christian activist organizations in the nation.  Operation Rescue recently made headlines when it bought and closed an abortion clinic in Wichita, Kansas and has become the voice of the pro-life activist movement in America.  Its activities are on the cutting edge of the abortion issue, taking direct action to restore legal personhood to the pre-born and stop abortion in obedience to biblical mandates.