I'm speaking to you at a moment of grave crisis.

I'm Jeff Turner and this is Recall.

It's a series about history, not the ancient past, but history that's still hot to the touch.

In this first season, I explore a revolutionary political movement that brought a modern democracy to the brink.

You can find Recall how to start a revolution on the CBC Listen app or wherever you get your podcasts.

This is a CBC podcast.

The following episode contains mature subject matter. Please take care.

David?

Yeah, hi, John.

So I've been in touch with James Cop. He's been messaging and he mentioned you and said that you might be interested in talking to me.

So how did you come to know James Cop?

I met him in Atlanta. We went down there for, like, 1998 in the Democratic National Convention.

The Democratic Party was supporting legal murder. So we went down there to protest that.

John Duncan was a long time anti-abortion activist. He calls abortion legal murder and refers to abortion providers as serial killers.

He and Cop actually met in jail in Atlanta after they'd been arrested at the abortion protest.

I don't know if we talk much in jail, but he was certainly noticeable because he set up a little walk through around his cot.

I remember him and he had a lot to say about everything. He was just a fun guy.

I'm not sure I'd describe Cop as fun. He's, of course, back in prison again serving a life sentence for the murder of Dr. Slepian.

I've continued to actively message with him through a prison email system.

I must have visited him in jail at least two dozen times or no more than that maybe.

Did you ever hear the term underground railroad describing helping activists in the anti-bortion movement?

I never heard that term use that way, but I know those things went on.

...