Tennessee judge rebuked for nixing out-of-state abortion

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press


Updated 10:54 am CDT, Friday, March 15, 2019

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) — A Tennessee judge has been rebuked for denying the request of a woman on house arrest to travel to Atlanta for an abortion.

The Chattanooga Times Free Press reports the 23-year-old woman was at least 10 weeks pregnant with twins when accepted into General Sessions Court Judge Lila Statom's Mental Health Court in February. The woman, who had pleaded guilty to theft and domestic assault, asked for permission to get the abortion last week, while on house arrest.

Hamilton County Criminal Court Judge Tom Greenholtz said Monday that Statom injected her personal beliefs in denying that request and violated the woman's constitutional rights.

Attorney David Barrow said Statom still wouldn't resolve the case, so he left the woman's probation officer a message and drove her to Atlanta himself Wednesday.



Read more: https://www.chron.com/news/crime/article/Tennessee-judge-rebuked-for-nixing-out-of-state-13691379.php

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Judge Lila Statom

[Croney]

1. Bravo to the attorney.

[SunSeeker]

3. +1

[Atticus]

4. Absolutely. I would expect "Her Honor" to hold the attorney in contempt, possibly

urge criminal prosecution and file a complaint with the state bar. We need more with this kind of courage.

[Honeycombe8]

7. +1. nt

[DFW]

2. I realize it's Tennessee

But such "judges" should be removed from the bench and charged with criminal violation of others' civil rights. She can wear her fancy gold cross in her cell. THAT is certainly her right.

[mwooldri]

5. Judge denies person access to medical care.

Ungh. Horrible judge.

[Irishxs]

6. TN Redder Than Red, Meaner Than Mean...

Moved to Tn 9 yrs ago, still in shock at the state’s attitude.

[paleotn]

9. You and me both.

Travel back on occasion, but wouldn't live in the ole home state for any amount of money. With Nashville growing as it is, the career prospects would be very good, but at what cost? I'm just not into living on an island of sanity in a sea of wing nuttery anymore.

[paleotn]

10. Didn't use to be this way...

Though never a progressive hotbed, TN was known for it's good sense on both sides of the aisle. Not anymore. Guys like Howard Baker and Ned McWherter are long gone. You may not agree with them always, but they were decent people. The slime on capital hill today is as evil as Alabama. The congressional delegation is vile. Thank god for Steve Cohen. I include Jim Cooper in the vileness as he's as blue a dog as any Dem has ever been. A spineless lump of uselessness. A living political dinosaur.