[Coleus]

Why do you think that they would do that? >>

this is more of a state's rights and 10th amendment issue than anything else. The state banned abortion in prisons with one exception-- the health of the mother, in this case the mother was fine and the ACLU argued on the right to choose rather than Missouri law.

[William Tell]

Coleus said: "...this is more of a state's rights and 10th amendment issue than anything else. "

Fine. Then if Roberts and others had voted to hear the case, I would expect a 5-4 decision ruling that states do not have the power to deny abortions to inmates.

This would make it mandatory for all federal judges to rule that way until such time as Roe v. Wade is overturned. Roberts may have saved lives by preventing a precedent that might bind lower courts nationwide such that they would be unable to support some other state's pro-life policies.

As it stands now, there are many jurisdictions where a law barring abortions for inmates might be upheld.