Troy Newman (activist) on its campaign against abortion doctor George Tiller, which culminated in his assassination by Scott Roeder, an Operation Rescue supporter. More recently, Newman attracted international attention for his illegal entry to Australia (and subsequent deportation). Born in Anchorage, Alaska, Newman was adopted at birth to a family in San Diego, California, where he grew up as a self-described "surfer boy". He has cited his own experience as an adoptee as one of the reasons for his anti-abortion views. Newman made contact with his birth father later in life, and subsequently added his birth father's surname, Mariotti, to his own, although
George Tiller activist for five years and had written letters of support to the convicted murderer Michael Griffin, who had murdered Dr. David Gunn. She called him "a hero". At her trial in state court, Shannon testified that there was nothing wrong with trying to kill Tiller. The jury convicted Shannon of attempted murder, and she was sentenced to 11 years in prison. The following year, however, Shannon was sentenced to an additional 20 years in prison on charges of arson, interference with commerce by force and interstate travel in aid of racketeering in connection to her participation in several fires and