AN UNLIKELY TERRORIST: SHELLEY SHANNON PREMIERING MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19TH ON COURT TV

One-Hour Documentary Explores The Double Life of A Housewife Turned Bomber and Shooter

Shelley Shannon Speaks To Court TV in an Exclusive Interview

New York, NY - November 6, 2001 - On August 21, l993, Shelley Shannon, a 37-year-old woman from Grants Pass, Oregon, was arrested in the shooting of Dr. George Tiller outside a women's clinic in Wichita, Kansas. At a time when our nation is focused on the roots of terrorism, a new Court TV documentary asks, how does a loving housewife and mother of two become so committed to a cause that she is willing to shoot and bomb for it?

This riveting episode of the Court TV original series Mugshots,
An Unlikely Terrorist: Shelley Shannon (premiering Monday, November 19th at 10:00 PM ET/PT) explores the making of a terrorist through revealing interviews with Shannon's family and friends, Shannon's own journals, and an exclusive interview from prison with Shannon herself.

The investigation took prosecutors and federal officials into the dark world of Shelley Shannon. In l992, unbeknownst to her husband and children, Shannon traveled throughout the west firebombing abortion clinics. In August of l993, Shelley Shannon asked her daughter Angi to drive her to the local bus station, in Grants Pass, Oregon. When they exchanged their good-byes, Angi never suspected that her mother was on a mission that would dramatically alter their lives forever.

Shelley Shannon arrived in Wichita and attempted to murder Dr. George Tiller, a doctor who worked in an abortion clinic. She eventually was convicted for the attempted murder of Tiller, and was later convicted of firebombing six abortion clinics throughout the west in l992. Back in Oregon, her family and friends were shocked. They knew Shelley as a highly religious woman and peaceful protestor, not as a person capable of such heinous terrorist acts. One friend commented that when he heard of Shannon's actions, it was like "hearing that Minnie Mouse just bombed the White House."

Now serving a 31-year prison sentence, Shannon talks to Court TV from behind bars in an exclusive interview about the events that led up to her trip to Wichita, Kansas, her attempt to kill Dr. Tiller and her involvement in the various abortion clinic bombings. Through additional interviews with Shannon's family and friends, An Unlikely Terrorist: Shelley Shannon attempts to shed some light on the circumstances that led Shannon to live the complex life of church-going mother, wife - and terrorist.

An Unlikely Terrorist: Shelley Shannon was written and produced by award-winning documentarian and feature filmmaker Beth B for Court TV. She has been producing and directing films for over twenty years and her work has been featured at a number of film festivals including the Toronto Film Festival and the Sundance Film Festival. For Court TV, Carolyn Kresky is the executive producer; Ed Hersh is the Vice President of Documentaries and Specials.

Court TV (www.courttv.com or AOL Keyword: Court TV), a basic cable network, provides a window on the American system of justice through distinctive programming that both entertains and informs. As the destination for programming that focuses on justice and criminal investigations, Court TV broadcasts trials by day and compelling stories of the criminal justice system in the evening. Court TV is 50% owned by AOL Time Warner, and 50% owned by Liberty Media Corp. The network has over 65 million subscribers.