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By Pete Kotz in homicide
Wednesday, Sep. 30 2009 @ 8:29PM

Harlan-Drake.jpg
Harlan Drake attempted to slash his wrists
​Harlan Drake has been found not competent to stand trial. See update after the jump...

A hardcore pro-life activist was gunned down in Owosso, Michigan this morning as he was protesting against abortion outside the town high school. Police say James L. Pouillon was shot multiple times from a passing car. Fortunately, most of the kids were already in school at the time.

Owosso police have already arrested a 33-year-old suspect, but they aren't labeling this a political crime yet. The suspect seems to have also murdered a second man this morning. After his arrest, he informed detectives of the slaying of Mike Fuoss, who was discovered dead by an employee at Fuoss Gravel Pit. Fuoss' brother-in-law says the arrested man is the son of a former pit employee.

Pouillon, a retired GM worker, was a divisive figure in Owosso. He was known as "the sign man" for his daily anti-abortion protests going back decades. Fellow pro-lifers knew him as a kindly 63-year-old devoted to the cause. He certainly wasn't a physical threat to anyone. He wore leg braces and carried an oxygen tank with him. But others didn't find him so harmless...

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James Pouillon often protested outside the high school with signs depicting aborted fetuses, angering residents
​Friends warned him about his graphic signs. And no doubt he pissed people off. It's hard to believe most parents would appreciate a man holding daily vigils outside the high school with placards showing aborted fetuses. Residents say people would spit and cuss at him. He was once pelted with fruit.

Yet Pouillon was completely harmless. He had multiple run-ins with the cops. In 1994, he was charged with screaming at pre-school children and their parents, who were taking their kids to daycare at the First Congregational Church in Owosso. Pouillon was mad that the church had hosted a 25th anniversary
celebration for the local Planned Parenthood office.

You could say that bad things are bound to come to a man who screams at women and children outside a church. But until we know more, Pouillon's case now stands as a basic double-homicide. We'll keep you updated.

UPDATE I: The Shiawassee
County prosecutor's office now believes Pouillon's slaying was politically motive. Assistant Prosecutor Sara Edwards says an arrested suspect was upset that Pouillon protested with graphic signs depicting aborted fetuses in front of children outside the high school. But police still haven't indicated what relationship Pouillon had with the other murder victim, if there was any. The suspect is expected to be charged later today. We'll be updating you then.

UPDATE II: The Shiawassee
County sheriff is now saying the Pouillon was shot first, then the suspect went on to kill Fuoss. But the alleged shooter is also cooperating with police, and the sheriff believes the case will be wrapped up in the next few days.

Update III: The shooter has now been identified as Harlan James Drake. He was caught after witnesses grabbed his license plate at the high school. Drake was arrested at his home, but not before he killed Pouillon and Fuoss. Police say he was also planning to kill a third person who has yet to be identified, but that shooting was halted by his arrest.

Thus far, investigators aren't saying why Drake killed the men. His father was a former employee of Fuoss' gravel pit, so there may have been some longstanding beef there. And while at least one report has said Drake was pissed for protesting with graphic signs in front of kids, the sheriff's department hasn't expressly confirmed that.

But there was clearly antipathy toward Pouillon in this small town 70 miles outside Detroit. As 16-year-old Curtis Wisterman told the AP as he was leaving school today, "I can see someone spitting on him or punching him, but shooting him is pretty stupid." 

UPDATE IV: Harlan Drake was taken to a hospital today after trying to commit suicide in jail. Prosecutor Randy Colbry said Drake had a serious, self-inflicted gash on his wrist, but it's not life-threatening. Authorities have also revealed the name of the third man Drake intended to shoot Friday. That's real estate agent James Howe, who's fled down though Drake is in jail.

Police still haven't revealed why the trucker wanted the three men dead. While pro-lifers have already begun calling Pouillon a martyr, police haven't said whether Drake was stridently pro-life, or just didn't like how Pouillon would protest with aborted fetus signs around children.

In the case of the other two men, it's believed they had some kind of business dealings with Drake in the past. Prosecutors, however, haven't relayed the details of those affairs.

UPDATE V: Video of James Puillon addressing his abortion views...


UPDATE VI: The family of accused murderer Harlan Drake issued a statement today saying he didn't gun down James Pouillon for his abortion beliefs. Rather, it seems Drake was suffering from mental problem like depression and was having troubles with his medications.

The family said the slayings were not meant as revenge or part of the political statement. The described Drake as "a gentle giant, who has no history of violence and no criminal history whatsoever... We do not feel these tragic killings were premeditated, a political statement regarding pro life or pro abortion factions, or out of a grudge."

UPDATE VII: It appears Harlan Drake's motive in the slayings of James Pouillon and Mike Fuoss is that he's simply crazy.

Judge Terrance Dignan signed an order today committing him to state psychiatric custody. That decision is based on the opinion of the Center for Forensic Psychiatry. Doctors believe Drake will be able to stand trial after receiving treatment, but it pretty much takes away the theory that Pouillon was killed due to his abortion beliefs. Given how difficult it is to be ruled mentally incompetent these days, it now seems Drake is too crazy to have any beliefs.

Also see "Why No Outrage over James Pouillon's Murder? He's Not Sympathetic."