Post by Marya Dabrowski on Jun 21, 2017 20:19:08 GMT -5
www.wnd.com/2017/06/court-drops-most-counts-against-baby-body-parts-investigator/?cat_orig=health
A California court has rejected 14 of 15 criminal charges that a prosecutor who took money from Planned Parenthood for his campaigns had filed against one of the undercover investigators who produced a series of videos revealing Planned Parenthood’s baby body-parts trade.
Representatives for Sandra Merritt said they now will turn their attention to the last count, which they say “will also fall.”
WND reported when California lodged 15 felony counts against the two pro-life activists behind the landmark 2015 series alleging Planned Parenthood sold the body parts of aborted babies for profit.
The defendants are Merritt and David Daleiden of the Center for Medical Progress, who in 2015 released a series of undercover videos showing Planned Parenthood and other abortion industry players haggling over higher pay for the body parts of unborn babies.
Representatives for Sandra Merritt said they now will turn their attention to the last count, which they say “will also fall.”
WND reported when California lodged 15 felony counts against the two pro-life activists behind the landmark 2015 series alleging Planned Parenthood sold the body parts of aborted babies for profit.
The defendants are Merritt and David Daleiden of the Center for Medical Progress, who in 2015 released a series of undercover videos showing Planned Parenthood and other abortion industry players haggling over higher pay for the body parts of unborn babies.
Xavier Becerra – the attorney general who charged the investigators with recording abortion executives without their knowledge and conspiracy – took money from Planned Parenthood for his campaigns.
“He got a campaign contribution from Planned Parenthood. Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards speaks very highly of him and has mentioned him in glowing terms in a press release,” said Mat Staver, chairman of Liberty Counsel.
When pro-abortion California Gov. Jerry Brown named Becerra as attorney general, Planned Parenthood boss Cecile Richards praised the appointment.
“Rep. Becerra is a long-time champion for women’s reproductive rights and health,” she said at the time. “As a former California deputy attorney general, he understands the importance of a woman’s right to access the full range of health care, including safe, legal abortion. At a time when reproductive health is gravely under attack in states across the country, we need leaders like Rep. Becerra to be responsible stewards of the law and protect the rights of millions of Americans, including the 850,000 California women, men and families that Planned Parenthood serves every year.”
Liberty Counsel said the Center for Responsive Politics shows Becerra received “$1,000 in 2014, $2,000 in 2012, $500 in 2004, $1,000 in 2002 and $1,035 in 1998 in congressional campaign contributions from Planned Parenthood.”
Staver charged at the time: “There is obvious political motivation behind the recent baseless criminal charges against Sandra Merritt and David Daleiden. Our client did not break any laws. With all the investigative media and reality TV shows that use investigative journalism in California, there has been no effort by the state to prosecute and for good reason, because the First Amendment has something to say about this. The attorney general has engaged in selective prosecution to target pro-life speech. When law enforcement selectively targets people, everyone should be concerned. This effort will fail.”
Liberty Counsel confirmed Wednesday that the San Francisco Superior Court had dismissed criminal counts 1-14 against Merritt.
“He got a campaign contribution from Planned Parenthood. Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards speaks very highly of him and has mentioned him in glowing terms in a press release,” said Mat Staver, chairman of Liberty Counsel.
When pro-abortion California Gov. Jerry Brown named Becerra as attorney general, Planned Parenthood boss Cecile Richards praised the appointment.
“Rep. Becerra is a long-time champion for women’s reproductive rights and health,” she said at the time. “As a former California deputy attorney general, he understands the importance of a woman’s right to access the full range of health care, including safe, legal abortion. At a time when reproductive health is gravely under attack in states across the country, we need leaders like Rep. Becerra to be responsible stewards of the law and protect the rights of millions of Americans, including the 850,000 California women, men and families that Planned Parenthood serves every year.”
Liberty Counsel said the Center for Responsive Politics shows Becerra received “$1,000 in 2014, $2,000 in 2012, $500 in 2004, $1,000 in 2002 and $1,035 in 1998 in congressional campaign contributions from Planned Parenthood.”
Staver charged at the time: “There is obvious political motivation behind the recent baseless criminal charges against Sandra Merritt and David Daleiden. Our client did not break any laws. With all the investigative media and reality TV shows that use investigative journalism in California, there has been no effort by the state to prosecute and for good reason, because the First Amendment has something to say about this. The attorney general has engaged in selective prosecution to target pro-life speech. When law enforcement selectively targets people, everyone should be concerned. This effort will fail.”
Liberty Counsel confirmed Wednesday that the San Francisco Superior Court had dismissed criminal counts 1-14 against Merritt.