Posted on 04/08/2008 3:51:01 PM PDT by XR7
The Kansas Supreme Court heard arguments today over subpoenaed medical records of notorious abortionist George Tiller, who is accused of performing late-term abortions — which are illegal in Kansas — at his Wichita clinic.
In January, the Sedgwick County grand jury subpoenaed about 2,000 late-term abortion records from Tiller’s clinic; the judge reduced that to 250. Tiller is refusing to turn over the records, claiming it would violate his patients’ privacy. However, the grand jury requested that all patient-identifying information be redacted from the subpoenaed records before the jury receives them.
Tiller's attorneys argued the grand jury investigation constitutes harassment, but several justices were skeptical of that claim, The Associated Press reported.
Operation Rescue President Troy Newman said the people who demanded this grand jury are tired of Tiller’s repeated obstructions.
"Tiller just doesn't want the grand jury to see anything — not the records, not the inside of his clinic, not the abortion process, and certainly not the truth," he said. “The Supreme Court needs to allow the grand jury to do its job and conduct an honest and thorough investigation."
Donna Lippoldt of the developing Kansas Family Policy Council participated in a prayer rally outside of Tiller’s clinic during the hearing. She was joined by pro-life groups, including Kansans for Life, Operation Save America, Pro-Life Kansas and Heartbeat Ministires.
Several life advocates also gathered for a rally outside the Supreme Court building in Topeka.
“If there is no way to hold George Tiller accountable, if he doesn’t ever have to produce any records, then how are we ever going to have any laws enforced in regard to stopping abortion?” Lippoldt asked. “If the Supreme Court of the state of Kansas denies the grand jury access to the redacted medical records to prove that laws have been broken, then George Tiller is truly above the law.”
A banner hanging outside Tiller’s clinic reads, “Wichita Stands with Dr. George Tiller. 35 Years of Saving Women’s Lives,” but Lippoldt said she does not see support for Tiller.
“George Tiller has bought so much influence over the last 35 years,” she said. “But if you go to the records, you’re going to find out that there has never been an instance in the last 35 years where George Tiller did an abortion to save a woman’s life.”
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment is reporting that almost half of the abortions in the state over the last decade have been performed on out-of-state women. In the past two years, nearly 90 percent have come from Missouri.
Operation Rescue’s Newman said many of those women came to see Tiller.
PING!!! Hey, MountainFlower looks like this might be a good topic for prayer in your pro-life prayer thread...praying for those trying to hold Tiller accountable (Operation Rescue), for the process and those who will judge on this issue to have God’s wisdom. (That by this case much progress would be made to help save future babies!)
Why isn’t he currently in jail for contempt?
“Wichita Stands with Dr. George Tiller. 35 Years of Saving Women’s Lives,”
Make that 35 years and untold thousands of murdered unborn children.
How about the number of female children he aborted? What about their Rights?
Read Kennedy’s ruling. He left the door wide open for any other method of killing late term babies!!
“A nation that kills its children is a nation without hope.” Pope John Paul II
Closer to 50,000,000 million children have been surgically aborted since Roe v Wade. Repeat rates are astronomical.
Prayers up!
Ah yes, Wichita, location of one of the most horrible perverted mass murders in history, with the Dec 2000 case. Yet Gov Sebelius and plenty of other Kansans apparently oppose the death penalty for those savage rapist/killers, but have no problem with Tiller and his methods. How vile.
“Stenberg will not last long.”
I hope you are right. However I find it odd that this pro-abortion decision has taken on the name of the anti-abortion side of the issue. Carhardt was the abortionist.
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