Barnett Slepian

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Barnett Slepian (October 21, 1946 – October 23, 1998) was a physician in Amherst, New York in the United States who was shot and killed in his home by anti-abortion activist James Charles Kopp. Slepian is one of several physicians, nurses, and health care workers who have been killed or injured by anti-abortion activists.

Slepian was an obstetrician/gynecologist with his own practice, but he also provided services at a local clinic, GYN Women's Services.

On Friday, October 23, 1998, Slepian had returned from synagogue and was preparing soup in his kitchen when he was shot in the shoulder through a window. He died a few hours later. Kopp fled, but was arrested in France and extradited back to the US. He was tried and convicted of second-degree murder in Buffalo, New York and is currently serving a 25 years to life term of imprisonment.

The killing was the climax of a series of five sniper attacks in four years in northern New York and Canada. Dr. Slepian was the fourth doctor and seventh person in the USA to be killed, supposedly because of their involvement with performing abortions.

The Ani DiFranco song Hello Birmingham, from her 1999 album To The Teeth, was written as a response to the Slepian murder.