Neal Horsley
Encyclopedia
Otis O'Neal Horsley, Jr. (born 1944) is a militant
anti-abortionist known for producing a website which provided the home addresses of abortion
providers in the United States
, for admitting on Fox News television to practising bestiality in his youth, and for being arrested on charges of terroristic threats against singer Elton John
.
While the original site was shut down in 2002, it has reappeared more than once on other ISPs. Horsley has been forced to change his Internet service provider
numerous times due to the site's content, and his website has been hacked on several occasions.
It has been stated that information from the Nuremberg Files site was used by James Charles Kopp
to track down and kill Buffalo
doctor Barnett Slepian
in 1998. http://www.freedomforum.org/templates/document.asp?documentID=15067 Kopp fled the country (becoming a fugitive
in Canada
) but allegedly maintained contact with Horsley while on the run. Kopp was later arrested in France
and extradited
to New York
, where he is serving a 25-year prison sentence.
After Slepian's murder, Planned Parenthood
's
president Gloria Feldt
denounced Horsley's website at a press conference. The publicity generated hundreds of thousands of hits (Horsley claims 400,000). Horsley was named as a co-conspirator in a successful civil suit, Planned Parenthood v. American Coalition of Life Activists
, filed by Planned Parenthood
over the information compiled by him and "Unwanted Posters" of doctors, which was judged by the court to constitute a threat of violence, even without an explicit call to violence. The U.S. Supreme court has twice refused to hear the case, upholding the ruling, but asking that the punitive damages be reconsidered.http://www.thomasmore.org/news.html?NewsID=404 Punitive damages were reduced from $108 million to $4.7 million. The ruling also provides for $11 million in treble damages
and $526,000 in compensatory damages.http://www.plannedparenthood.org/news-articles-press/politics-policy-issues/public-affairs/security-11450.htmhttp://www.plannedparenthood.org/news-articles-press/politics-policy-issues/public-affairs/security-7487.htm
As part of the judgment, Horsley was to take down the "Nuremberg Files" section of his website. The verdict was later overturned on appeal, and the files returned. The case was reheard en banc
, and the court determined that the files constituted constitutionally unprotected "true threats". Karin Spaink
ran a mirror of the site in the Netherlands
for about a week after the district court decision. She ultimately decided to remove the mirror.
, an armed bank robber
who had escaped from an Illinois
prison, showed up at Horsley's home brandishing a gun. Horsley alleges that Waagner told him that he was stalking and planned to kill 42 abortion clinic workers who were profiled on the website, and presented evidence that he was the author of hundreds of phony anthrax
letters that had been sent to abortion clinics and elected officials. Going to the media after his meeting with Waagner brought more attention to Horsley and his website. Waagner was arrested in December 2001, and is now serving a lengthy prison sentence.
Although Horsley claims he advocated an alternative route of campaigning for secession, he does not doubt that many of those in his circle who resorted to violence were led by God to do so to show it was not an effective means for bringing about an end to Roe v. Wade
. He calls those who engaged in violence terrorists, but also says that terrorism is a sanctioned means of achieving God's law, and a tactic explicitly supported in scripture.
, Geraldo Rivera
accused Horsley of "aiding and abetting a homicide" in the Slepian murder. Horsley sued Rivera for libel and slander, but the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals found against Horsley, concluding that Rivera was merely "expressing his belief that Horsley shared in the moral culpability for Dr. Slepian's death". Horsley also unsuccessfully sued Glorida Feldt of Planned Parenthood and Kim Gandy
of the National Organization for Women
for similar statements.
on March 12, 2010 by police on charges of terroristic threats, making criminal defamation and using the Internet to disseminate threats in relation to a February 28, 2010 video which he had posted on his YouTube account; the video showed him holding a sign saying "Elton John
must die" and him saying that "What Elton John has done is desecrated the image of the Lord Jesus Christ, blasphemed the Lord Jesus Christ," in relation to John's public comment that Jesus
was a "compassionate, super-intelligent gay man who understood human problems." The video showed Horsley holding the sign in front of what he believed to be John's condo in Carrollton, although John's publicist refused to confirm the exact location of his house in the Atlanta metropolitan area.
Militant
The word militant, which is both an adjective and a noun, usually is used to mean vigorously active, combative and aggressive, especially in support of a cause, as in 'militant reformers'. It comes from the 15th century Latin "militare" meaning "to serve as a soldier"...
anti-abortionist known for producing a website which provided the home addresses of abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
providers in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, for admitting on Fox News television to practising bestiality in his youth, and for being arrested on charges of terroristic threats against singer Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
.
The "Nuremberg Files"
The Nuremberg Files is a website that displays the names and locations of various doctors who perform abortions throughout the United States. They came under fire as controversial because they provided photos, addresses, and other personal data of abortion providers. They also updated the listings of those doctors who had been injured or murdered by "pro-life" individuals, indicating their approval for the elimination of the provider.While the original site was shut down in 2002, it has reappeared more than once on other ISPs. Horsley has been forced to change his Internet service provider
Internet service provider
An Internet service provider is a company that provides access to the Internet. Access ISPs directly connect customers to the Internet using copper wires, wireless or fiber-optic connections. Hosting ISPs lease server space for smaller businesses and host other people servers...
numerous times due to the site's content, and his website has been hacked on several occasions.
It has been stated that information from the Nuremberg Files site was used by James Charles Kopp
James Charles Kopp
James Charles Kopp is an American citizen who was convicted in 2003 for the 1998 sniper-style murder of Dr. Barnett Slepian, an American physician from Amherst, New York who performed abortions. Prior to his capture, Kopp was on the FBI's list of Ten Most Wanted Fugitives. On June 7, 1999 he had...
to track down and kill Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
doctor Barnett Slepian
Barnett Slepian
Barnett Slepian was an American physician and OB/GYN who was murdered in his home by anti-abortion militant James Charles Kopp....
in 1998. http://www.freedomforum.org/templates/document.asp?documentID=15067 Kopp fled the country (becoming a fugitive
Fugitive
A fugitive is a person who is fleeing from custody, whether it be from private slavery, a government arrest, government or non-government questioning, vigilante violence, or outraged private individuals...
in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
) but allegedly maintained contact with Horsley while on the run. Kopp was later arrested in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and extradited
Extradition
Extradition is the official process whereby one nation or state surrenders a suspected or convicted criminal to another nation or state. Between nation states, extradition is regulated by treaties...
to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, where he is serving a 25-year prison sentence.
After Slepian's murder, Planned Parenthood
Planned Parenthood
Planned Parenthood Federation of America , commonly shortened to Planned Parenthood, is the U.S. affiliate of the International Planned Parenthood Federation and one of its larger members. PPFA is a non-profit organization providing reproductive health and maternal and child health services. The...
's
president Gloria Feldt
Gloria Feldt
Gloria Feldt at Temple, Texas, is a well-known author, commentator, and feminist leader.Feldt is a frequent public speaker, lecturing at universities, civic and professional organizations, and national and international conferences on women, feminism, politics, leadership, media, and health...
denounced Horsley's website at a press conference. The publicity generated hundreds of thousands of hits (Horsley claims 400,000). Horsley was named as a co-conspirator in a successful civil suit, Planned Parenthood v. American Coalition of Life Activists
American Coalition of Life Activists
The American Coalition of Life Activists was a pro-life advocacy group that was the subject of controversy for its series of Wanted-style posters....
, filed by Planned Parenthood
Planned Parenthood
Planned Parenthood Federation of America , commonly shortened to Planned Parenthood, is the U.S. affiliate of the International Planned Parenthood Federation and one of its larger members. PPFA is a non-profit organization providing reproductive health and maternal and child health services. The...
over the information compiled by him and "Unwanted Posters" of doctors, which was judged by the court to constitute a threat of violence, even without an explicit call to violence. The U.S. Supreme court has twice refused to hear the case, upholding the ruling, but asking that the punitive damages be reconsidered.http://www.thomasmore.org/news.html?NewsID=404 Punitive damages were reduced from $108 million to $4.7 million. The ruling also provides for $11 million in treble damages
Treble damages
Treble damages, in law, is a term that indicates that a statute permits a court to triple the amount of the actual/compensatory damages to be awarded to a prevailing plaintiff, generally in order to punish the losing party for willful conduct. Treble damages are a multiple of, and not an addition...
and $526,000 in compensatory damages.http://www.plannedparenthood.org/news-articles-press/politics-policy-issues/public-affairs/security-11450.htmhttp://www.plannedparenthood.org/news-articles-press/politics-policy-issues/public-affairs/security-7487.htm
As part of the judgment, Horsley was to take down the "Nuremberg Files" section of his website. The verdict was later overturned on appeal, and the files returned. The case was reheard en banc
En banc
En banc, in banc, in banco or in bank is a French term used to refer to the hearing of a legal case where all judges of a court will hear the case , rather than a panel of them. It is often used for unusually complex cases or cases considered to be of greater importance...
, and the court determined that the files constituted constitutionally unprotected "true threats". Karin Spaink
Karin Spaink
Karin Spaink is a journalist, writer and feminist.Spaink is a free speech advocate and social critic. Some of her battles include:* New-age writers who assert all diseases are only a psychological phenomenon;...
ran a mirror of the site in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
for about a week after the district court decision. She ultimately decided to remove the mirror.
Waagner incident
In 2001, self-described militant Clayton WaagnerClayton Waagner
Clayton Lee Waagner is a convicted bank robber and anti-abortion activist. He was born Roger Waagner in North Dakota. He was an escaped fugitive during the spring, summer and fall of 2001 and was the FBI's 467th fugitive to be placed on the Ten Most Wanted list for carjackings, firearms...
, an armed bank robber
Bank robbery
Bank robbery is the crime of stealing from a bank during opening hours. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Uniform Crime Reporting Program, robbery is "the taking or attempting to take anything of value from the care, custody, or control of a person or persons by force or threat of...
who had escaped from an Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
prison, showed up at Horsley's home brandishing a gun. Horsley alleges that Waagner told him that he was stalking and planned to kill 42 abortion clinic workers who were profiled on the website, and presented evidence that he was the author of hundreds of phony anthrax
Anthrax
Anthrax is an acute disease caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis. Most forms of the disease are lethal, and it affects both humans and other animals...
letters that had been sent to abortion clinics and elected officials. Going to the media after his meeting with Waagner brought more attention to Horsley and his website. Waagner was arrested in December 2001, and is now serving a lengthy prison sentence.
Although Horsley claims he advocated an alternative route of campaigning for secession, he does not doubt that many of those in his circle who resorted to violence were led by God to do so to show it was not an effective means for bringing about an end to Roe v. Wade
Roe v. Wade
Roe v. Wade, , was a controversial landmark decision by the United States Supreme Court on the issue of abortion. The Court decided that a right to privacy under the due process clause in the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution extends to a woman's decision to have an abortion,...
. He calls those who engaged in violence terrorists, but also says that terrorism is a sanctioned means of achieving God's law, and a tactic explicitly supported in scripture.
Lawsuits
During an appearance on Upfront Tonight on CNBCCNBC
CNBC is a satellite and cable television business news channel in the U.S., owned and operated by NBCUniversal. The network and its international spinoffs cover business headlines and provide live coverage of financial markets. The combined reach of CNBC and its siblings is 390 million viewers...
, Geraldo Rivera
Geraldo Rivera
Geraldo Rivera is an American attorney, journalist, author, reporter, and former talk show host...
accused Horsley of "aiding and abetting a homicide" in the Slepian murder. Horsley sued Rivera for libel and slander, but the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals found against Horsley, concluding that Rivera was merely "expressing his belief that Horsley shared in the moral culpability for Dr. Slepian's death". Horsley also unsuccessfully sued Glorida Feldt of Planned Parenthood and Kim Gandy
Kim Gandy
Kim Gandy is an American feminist and was the president of the National Organization for Women from 2001 until 2009. In 2009 Gandy was a Resident Fellow at the Institute of Politics at the Harvard University Kennedy School of Government...
of the National Organization for Women
National Organization for Women
The National Organization for Women is the largest feminist organization in the United States. It was founded in 1966 and has a membership of 500,000 contributing members. The organization consists of 550 chapters in all 50 U.S...
for similar statements.
Secession and Run for Governor
In 2010, Horsley ran unsuccessfully for governor under his Creator's Rights Party on a nullification platform. He said he was willing to kill his own son, who is a Sergeant in the Army, if he were sent to Georgia to stop him from seceding, and admitted to nearly killing his son once before.Elton John incident
Horsley was arrested in Carrollton, GeorgiaCarrollton, Georgia
Carrollton is a city in West Georgia, United States, in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 24,388...
on March 12, 2010 by police on charges of terroristic threats, making criminal defamation and using the Internet to disseminate threats in relation to a February 28, 2010 video which he had posted on his YouTube account; the video showed him holding a sign saying "Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
must die" and him saying that "What Elton John has done is desecrated the image of the Lord Jesus Christ, blasphemed the Lord Jesus Christ," in relation to John's public comment that Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
was a "compassionate, super-intelligent gay man who understood human problems." The video showed Horsley holding the sign in front of what he believed to be John's condo in Carrollton, although John's publicist refused to confirm the exact location of his house in the Atlanta metropolitan area.
External links
- Personal website
- Seybert, Adrien. "Anti-abortion activist aims to shock Web users for his cause", Court TVCourt TVtruTV is an American cable television network owned by Turner Broadcasting, a subsidiary of Time Warner. The network launched as Court TV in 1991, changing to truTV in 2008...
. July 3, 2001. URL accessed on 2006-03-29 - Macavinta, Courtney. "Anti-abortion sites vs. free speech", CNETCNETCNET is a tech media website that publishes news articles, blogs, and podcasts on technology and consumer electronics. Originally founded in 1994 by Halsey Minor and Shelby Bonnie, it was the flagship brand of CNET Networks and became a brand of CBS Interactive through CNET Networks' acquisition...
. March 12, 1999. URL accessed on 2006-03-29. - The Propagandist - Southern Poverty Law CenterSouthern Poverty Law CenterThe Southern Poverty Law Center is an American nonprofit civil rights organization noted for its legal victories against white supremacist groups; legal representation for victims of hate groups; monitoring of alleged hate groups, militias and extremist organizations; and educational programs that...
report on Horsley - Terrorism Knowledge Base profile of Horsley
- Kaminer, Wendy "The Limits of Free Speech"