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The two men confessed of the bombings to federal agents. The couples also held interviews and press conferences where they openly discussed the bombings, and Wiggins called the bombings "a gift to Jesus on his birthday."<ref>[http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,962698-2,00.html Explosions Over Abortion.] ''Time'', January 14, 1985.</ref> Regardless, they all pleaded not guilty to the charges on [[January 18]].<ref>"4 in Florida Pleas Not Guilty In Abortion Clinic Bombings." ''New York Times'', January 19, 1985.</ref> The couples' attorneys announced their intent to use an insanity defense, which had been affected by new federal law passed the previous October. Prosecutors agreed to drop the charges related to the June bombing, when the old law was still in effect, as the new law shifted burden of proof of insanity to the defendants.<ref>"Some Charges Dropped On Abortion Bombing." ''New York Times'', April 16, 1985.</ref>
During the trial, the prosecution described the details of the conspiracy plotted by the two couples with the code-name "Gideon Project," a reference to the [[Wikipedia:Gideon (Bible)|Biblical figure]] called by God to destroy the altars where babies were sacrificed. Prosecutors showed how Kaye and Kathy were enlisted by the men to buy powder for the bombs at local gun shops. Some of the powder used for the bombs was acquired at a local hobby shop via model rocket engines. Defense attorneys argued that the defendants were torn by conflicting societal views on abortion, citing a 1982 letter by President Reagan condemning the practice, and that their deeply-held religious convictions — three were members of the [[First Assembly of God]], and Wiggins of the [[Amazing Grace Tabernacle Church]]<ref name="wrath">''Wrath of Angels: The American Abortion War'', p. 199.</ref> — led to the acts. The defense tried to appeal to the religious beliefs of the jury, calling God both "the thirteenth juror" and an "unindicted co-conspirator" in the case.<ref name="guilty">"2 Of 4 Are Guilty Of Clinic Bombing." ''New York Times'', April 25, 1985.</ref>
Presiding [[U.S. District Court]] Judge [[Roger Vinson]] ruled against the defense several times, first denying attempts to consolidate the three charges of bomb construction into a single charge (which attorneys argued had been constructed at the same time), then barring the testimony of a "critical" psychology witness, whom he ruled was unqualified to give an opinion on severe mental defects.<ref name="disorders">"Clinic Bomb Trial Told Of Disorders." ''New York Times'', April 21, 1985.</ref>