Families react to accused shooter’s declaration of guilt in court

The family of one of the victims’ in the shooting at Planned Parenthood on Friday said hearing accused shooter Robert Dear’s outbursts in court “helped.”

Dear admitted in court on Wednesday he was guilty of killing three and wounding nine at a Planned Parenthood Clinic in Colorado Springs last month. Dear asked the judge that there be no trial. Dear had more than a dozen outbursts in court. He accused his attorney of trying to hide the truth about Planned Parenthood.

“There’s a lot more to this than me to go silently into the grave. There’s a lot of this they don’t want to know, Planned Parenthoood and my lawyer are in cahoots to shut me up, they don’t want the truth out,” said Dear.

Ke’Arre Stewart, Jennifer Markovsky and Officer Garrett Swasey were killed in the shooting on November 27.

Stewart’s brother, Leyonte Chandler, was in court on Wednesday. He said he was glad he heard from Dear during the proceeding.

“That helped me a lot, in terms of just trying to put my finger on it, grasp the whole nature of everything,” said Chandler.

Chandler said he mentally prepared himself to see the man accused of killing his brother. Chandler said Dear’s outbursts helped him better understand the suspect.

“His remarks were a public demonstration of his character and his agenda so I think he spoke well for himself,” said Chandler.

Focus on the Family, an organization advocating in favor of pro life, said Dear’s remarks and actions are the exact opposite of what the movement stands for.

“It’s quite astounding to try and claim violent actions under pro life. You’re not saving lives, you’re taking them and that is the antithesis of being pro life,” said spokesperson Carrie Gordon Earll.

Dear will face 179 charges related to last month’s shooting.