Supreme Court Rules - Free Speech for Pro-lifers

IT has been some time in coming. The attempt by the pro-death of ‘innocents’ camp to bring racketeering charges against pro-lifers is over.

The Supreme Court dealt a setback Tuesday to abortion clinics in a two-decade-old legal fight over abortion protests, ruling that federal extortion and racketeering laws cannot be used to ban demonstrations.

Anti-abortion groups brought the appeal after the 7th Circuit had asked a trial judge to determine whether a nationwide injunction could be supported by charges that protesters had made threats of violence absent a connection with robbery or extortion.

The 8-0 decision ends a case that the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals had kept alive despite a 2003 decision by the high court that lifted a nationwide injunction on anti-abortion groups led by Joseph Scheidler and others.

Writing for the majority, Justice Stephen Breyer said Congress did not intend to create “a freestanding physical violence offense” in the federal extortion law known as the Hobbs Act.

It is portrayed by the pro-death camp as bullies stopping women from their right to kill. But the real reason is that it was hurting their bottom dollar. Every abortion is money in the bank for this billion dollar business.

Others that cover this:
Michelle Malkin
Generations for Life

Tags: Pro-Life