Mo. Prison Overruled on Inmate Abortion

[deadparrot]

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A federal judge ordered Missouri prison officials to drive a pregnant inmate to a clinic and let her get an abortion despite a state law that forbids the spending of tax dollars to facilitate an abortion.

U.S. District Judge Dean Whipple ruled Thursday that the prison system is blocking the woman from exercising her right to an abortion. On Friday, he refused to stay the ruling, and ordered that the woman be taken to the clinic on Saturday.

The woman, whose name was not disclosed in court papers, has said she will borrow money for the abortion from friends and family but cannot afford to pay for transportation.

Under a policy adopted in July, Missouri's prison system does not provide transportation or security for inmates seeking abortions. The policy is based on a state law that prohibits the spending of public funds "for the purpose of performing or assisting an abortion not necessary to save the life of the mother."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051014/ap_on_re_us/inmate_abortion

[Hobarticus]

1. Those darn activist judges...the Constitution says nothing about rides!

There they go...interpreting the Constitution all on their own!

:crazy:

[madaboutharry]

3. Can you believe this!

Good for Judge Whipple. Why do I find his name so funny? God forgive me, but his name is cracking me up. It's as funny as the name of my son's teacher last year, that was a wozzie!

[Hobarticus]

4. That darn activist Judge Whipple...done gone squeezed the Charmin! n/t

[asjr]

5. Mr. Whipple: "Please don't squeeze the Charmin."

[madeline_con]

2. So, where's the pro choice crew to give her a ride?

What's the problem? :shrug:

[Shakespeare]

6. You're not serious, are you?

You honestly think the state prison would release an inmate to somebody outside the prison? "Sure, Bandit Betty can come and go as she pleases, as long as she has a ride...."

:eyes:

[madeline_con]

8. Well, a stink could be raised....

about needed medical attention...

Surely there are security companies who could be hired. I'm just saying.

[Orangepeel]

9. who paid for the legal challenge?

I don't know, but I'm guessing.

[madeline_con]

10. I don't know.

[funflower]

22. You mean who paid for the prisoner's lawyer or who paid for the state's

lawyer? The, um, state of Missouri apparently is spending a LOT of taxpayer money to save the $350 bucks or whatever they said it would cost to drive her to the doctor.

I'd guess somebody cooperating with the ACLU or NARAL is volunteering their time to represent her for free.

[Orangepeel]

27. that's what I meant

the post I was replying to was wondering why pro-choice groups weren't helping the woman. I don't know, but I would guess that they are helping her legal challenge.

[funflower]

29. Ah. I get it. Takes me a while!

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

13. What is your point? (nt)

[rocktivity]

7. Excellent call, your honor!

U.S. District Judge Dean Whipple ruled Thursday that the prison system is blocking the woman from exercising her right to an abortion...

...Missouri's prison system does not provide transportation or security for inmates seeking abortions...

I COULD be wrong, but I doubt that Missouri's prison system allows inmates to arrange for THEIR OWN transportation and security if they want to get an abortion. That makes their policy an anti-abortion law in disguise. Cue the Vonage theme!

:woohoo:
rocknation

[CAcyclist]

11. Thank you for some good news!nt

[uppityperson]

12. Good!

[Little-Jen]

14. Hmm...

I wonder if this will be appealed to a higher court.

[NYC Liberal]

15. High Court Blocks Prison Abortion Order

http://www.heraldnewsdaily.com/stories/news-0086134.html

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The U.S. Supreme Court late Friday temporarily blocked a federal judge‘s ruling that ordered Missouri prison officials to drive a pregnant inmate to a clinic on Saturday for an abortion.

Justice Clarence Thomas , acting alone, granted the temporary stay pending a further decision by himself or the full court.

An appeals court on Friday refused to stay the ruling.

[KT2000]

16. Absolutely sickening

stall so she can't get the abortion at all or hand down an awful decision.

[DaveColorado]

18. Thomas is an asshole

I can't believe they replaced Marshal with that piece of garbage.

[funflower]

20. He's not 1% the lawyer Marshall was. Welcome to DU, DaveColorado!

:hi:

[OKthatsIT]

30. How does one get rid of a Supreme Court Judge?

Give the best --- worst case scenarios here.

[funflower]

17. No activist judges in the Bush camp. No siree bob.

:puke:

[beam me up scottie]

19. So female prisoners are

just incubators for the state.

What's next?

Using them to carry the "snowflakes" to term?

[NYC Liberal]

21. Mods, this is a DIFFERENT story.

The USSC has overruled the MO court which allowed the abortion and has BLOCKED it.

[beam me up scottie]

23. I just alerted on it.

I wondered what happened to the thread.

[maddezmom]

24. please check your PM's

please repost...sorry about the combine. :dunce:

[NYC Liberal]

25. No prob

:hi:

[TaleWgnDg]

26. if you are gonna post, then I will delete . . .

[Subliminal]

28. Is this really an aboriton issue?

Just playing devil's advocate.

The inmates in theory have a right to botox injections for their wrinkles. Do they have a right to have the prison make special transport accomodations for something that is not medically necessary?

If the inmate's health was at stake, then this ruling would be an abomination. But until that is shown, the inmate, err CRIMINAL, deserves no special treatment.

[Solon]

31. Pregnancy is risky regardless of what you think...

Its called biological fact, and no woman should be forced to come to term against her wishes, that lowers us to the level of slavery of the body, doesn't matter whether she is in prison or not.

[ErisFiveFingers]

32. To counter the devil's advocacy:

Remaining pregnant is *not* medically neccesary, and there's no argument I can concieve of which would indicate so.

Oh, and any argument that pregnancy *doesn't* put a person's health at stake totally discounts the myriad of physical changes and health risks that accompany pregnancy... we die from pregnancy (and related complications) daily.

So....

Staying pregnant: Health risks, *never* neccesary
Terminating: Health risks, sometimes neccesary

[Subliminal]

33. Counter to the counter

"Remaining pregnant is *not* medically neccesary, and there's no argument I can concieve of which would indicate so.

Oh, and any argument that pregnancy *doesn't* put a person's health at stake totally discounts the myriad of physical changes and health risks that accompany pregnancy... we die from pregnancy (and related complications) daily.

So....

Staying pregnant: Health risks, *never* neccesary
Terminating: Health risks, sometimes neccesary"

-------------

So you agree with me that abortion is a surgical procedure that carries it's own risks as well. I just have issues with making special accomodations for a criminal, that's all.