Pro-Lifers Face 11 Years Of Prison Time For Blocking Access To An Abortion Clinic

Huh, maybe all those anti-protesting laws might not be what they are cracked to be

 

Looks like they were convicted by the jury. Not my area, but 10.5 years seems high to me without more information.

Six Defendants Convicted of Federal Civil Rights Conspiracy and Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act Offenses for Obstructing Access to Reproductive Health Services in Tennessee

A federal jury convicted six defendants today of federal civil rights offenses arising out of their blockade of a reproductive health care clinic in Mount Juliet, Tennessee, on March 5, 2021. The defendants were each convicted of a felony conspiracy against rights and a Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (FACE Act) offense.

According to evidence presented at trial, Chester Gallagher, Heather Idoni, Calvin Zastrow, Coleman Boyd, Paul Vaughn and Dennis Green engaged in a conspiracy to prevent the clinic employees from providing, and patients from receiving, reproductive health services, a civil right secured by the FACE Act. As part of the conspiracy, Idoni, Zastrow, Boyd and Green traveled to Tennessee from other states to participate in the clinic blockade, and Gallagher and Vaughn stalled the Mount Juliet Police Department through negotiations that Gallagher referred to as a delay tactic. Evidence at trial further proved that the defendants violated the FACE Act by using physical obstruction to interfere with the clinic’s employees and a patient because the clinic was providing, and the patient sought, reproductive health services.

“These defendants are being held accountable for unlawfully obstructing access to reproductive health services,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will continue to enforce the FACE Act to protect the rights of those who provide and those who seek access to such services.”

“These defendants knowingly chose to violate laws they disagreed with,” said U.S. Attorney Henry C. Leventis for the Middle District of Tennessee. “The jury’s verdict today is a victory for the rule of law in this country and a reminder that we cannot pick and choose which laws we follow. It is also a testament to the outstanding work done in this case by the trial team and our law enforcement partners.”

 

You can’t just go into a private building and then infringe upon people’s legal rights. They should be held accountable but I see no need for prison time.

 

So, just to keep score about what conservatives think:

Blocking roads in protest: Run them over, I'm gonna be late to work
Blocking access to a clinic: Please go easy bro

 

11 years is harsh for what they did. Maybe community service and a fine and increased punishment the next time.

 

Seems excessive but the details also paint this as quite the operation. This wasn't just your local churchgoers making an afternoon of it.

 

They havent been sentenced yet, 10.5 years is the max, and that seems unlikely

 

My exact thoughts.

 

A hefty fine and community service ought to do. There should be mandatory prison time, however, for any repeat offenders.

 

This is contra’s version of what they did I imagine these idiots did a lot more than his source is saying.

 

30 days in jail. That goes for people who block roads too. Then 90 next time and on to a year.

 

Fake facts. They may have been peaceful, but they were in a private building blocking access to a clinic. No, they should not get an 11 year prison sentence.

 

Seems like quite a dishonest recounting of events. Here is the accusation of what they were just convicted of doing:

They would have been allowed to pray and sing hymns. They instead blockaded the door.

 

11 seems like too much, a couple of years in prison seems adequate, maybe let them out early if they can show that they have been rehabilitated and understand that other people have rights, too.

 

The title of this thread is extremely deceptive. While the protestors can theoretically be sentenced up to 11 years in prison the probability that they will be actually receiving that sentence is extremely low. It's far more likely that they will given suspended sentences and required to perform community service.

 

Does Tennessee have a protest "buffer zone" law? I tried to find info on it but couldn't. I can't imagine being in the building would be legal, even if they were not blocking the door, but it is Tennessee, so maybe.

 

I'd be surprised if anyone thinks they should or will get close to the maximum sentence.

 

Now lets do what liberals think:
Looting and burning buildings: Mostly peaceful
Praying and singing Hymns: Violent protests throw the book at them.

 

They're being prosecuted in Federal Court pursuant to a federal statute, The Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (FACE or the Access Act, Pub. L. No. 103-259, 108 Stat. 694) (May 26, 1994, 18 U.S.C. § 248) is a United States law that was signed by President Bill Clinton in May 1994, which prohibits the following three things: (1) the use of physical force, threat of physical force, or physical obstruction to intentionally injure, intimidate, interfere with or attempt to injure, intimidate or interfere with any person who is obtaining an abortion, (2) the use of physical force, threat of physical force, or physical obstruction to intentionally injure, intimidate, interfere with or attempt to injure, intimidate or interfere with any person who is exercising or trying to exercise their First Amendment right of religious freedom at a place of religious worship, (3) the intentional damage or destruction of a reproductive health care facility or a place of worship.[1

Based on the statute it seems that the defendants were doing more than simply singing hymns and praying. Maybe they were singing and praying while harassing and trying to intimidate patients at the clinic. If all they were doing was singing and praying they should have been found not guilty of violating the statute.