Facing death, Miller calls Jewish site killings ‘righteous’

OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — The man facing a possible death sentence for killing three people at suburban Kansas City Jewish sites told jurors Tuesday that his actions were “righteous” and “honorable” as the penalty phase of his trial began.

During his opening statement, assistant prosecutor Chris McMullin called Frazier Glenn Miller Jr. a “proud and remorseless killer” whose only regret was that he “didn’t kill more people.”

Miller began his defense in the penalty phase by calling himself to the stand. He talked about nurses he said were Jewish and accused them of withholding treatment for his emphysema after his arrest. He also showed a video criticizing the U.S. policy toward Israel.

Miller said he tried to work through the system before turning to violence.

“What do all patriots do?” Miller asked. “They get their guns, and that’s what I did.”

Miller was convicted Monday of one count of capital murder, three counts of attempted murder and assault and weapons charges. The Passover eve shootings killed William Corporon, 69, and Corporon’s 14-year-old grandson, Reat Griffin Underwood, at the Jewish Community Center in Overland Park, and Terri LaManno, 53, at the nearby Village Shalom retirement center.

Miller has said it was his duty to stop genocide against the white race. None of the victims was Jewish.

Underwood was at the Jewish Community Center for a singing competition, and McMullin stressed that Miller targeted the facility because of the teen- focused event. A flyer about the competition was found in Miller’s car when he was arrested.

McMullin also noted that Miller’s weapon didn’t fire when he first tried to shoot LaManno. He then retrieved another weapon from his trunk before killing her.

McMullin called Miller’s actions “pitiless” and said he “showed complete indifference to the suffering of others.”

The prosecution called just one witness, an Overland Park detective, who talked for just a few minutes about the flyer.