Category: Abortion

Pro-Lifers to Appear in Pulaski County Court on Trespassing Charges in December

Six pro-lifers accused of criminal trespassing are scheduled to appear in Pulaski County Circuit Court in December.

Eva Edl of South Carolina; Chet Gallagher of Tennessee; Dennis Green of Virginia; Calvin Zastrow of Michigan; Emily Nurnberg of Kansas; and Heather Iddoni of Michigan face misdemeanor criminal trespassing charges for allegedly blocking the entrance to Little Rock Family Planning Services — a now-shuttered surgical abortion facility in Little Rock — on January 15, 2021.

Court records show the pro-lifers were convicted in February of 2022, and each was ordered to pay a $350 fine. However, their attorney appealed the convictions, and court records now indicate their next hearing in the case will be December 4.

Family Council has been tracking the trespassing allegations in the case since 2021.

In separate cases, authorities with the U.S. Department of Justice have indicted some of the defendants for allegedly violating the Free Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act in Tennessee, Michigan, and Washington, D.C.

The FACE Act is a federal law generally intended to prevent people from obstructing abortion facility entrances.

A federal indictment unsealed last October alleges that Gallagher, Iddoni, Zastrow, Green, and Edl blocked a Tennessee abortion facility entrance in March of 2021.

Another federal indictment alleges that Zastrow, Gallagher, Iddoni, and Edl blocked the entrance to an abortion facility in Sterling Heights, Michigan, in August of 2020.

Iddoni also has been charged with violating the FACE Act in a separate federal case at an abortion facility in Washington, D.C.

If convicted in federal court, they face up to 11 years in prison and fines of up to $250,000.

Now that the U.S. Supreme Court has reversed Roe v. Wade, abortion is prohibited in Arkansas except to save the life of the mother, and Little Rock Family Planning Services is shut down.

It is unclear at this point what bearing those facts might have on these cases.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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State Reports Show Abortion Effectively Stopped in Arkansas in June of 2022

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, June 2, 2023

Little Rock, Ark. – On Thursday the Arkansas Department of Health released its annual abortion reports. The documents reveal 1,621 abortions were performed in Arkansas during 2022. The reports note that on  June 24, 2022, abortion became prohibited in Arkansas except to save the life of the mother.

Family Council President Jerry Cox released a statement, saying, “These reports are great news. They show that Arkansas’ pro-life laws are protecting women and saving unborn children. Arkansas has successfully prohibited abortion except to save the life of the mother. That is something to celebrate.”

Cox pointed out that abortion was legal in Arkansas until June 24th of last year. “The numbers released by the Arkansas Department of Health prove the effectiveness of Arkansas’ ban on abortions. The Health Department statistics seem to indicate that abortions virtually ended after Arkansas’ law against abortion went into effect.”

Cox said reversing Roe v. Wade last June saved approximately 1,500 unborn children in Arkansas. “In the past, Arkansas has averaged around 3,200 abortions per year. In 2022, there were 1,621 abortions. All in all, our team estimates 1,500 unborn children were saved from abortion after June 24 of last year.”

Cox said the reports also show Arkansas’ informed-consent laws helped women choose options besides abortion. “Arkansas has some of the best informed-consent laws in America. These laws require  abortionists to give women all the facts about abortion up front, including abortion’s risks, consequences, and alternatives. They also have to give women plenty of time to consider all options before making a final decision. These reports indicate approximately 400 women chose not to have abortions last year after receiving this information.”

Cox said the reports underscore why it is so important that the Arkansas Legislature voted to appropriate one million dollars this year to help women with unplanned pregnancies. “Most of the abortions  performed last year were on single moms. It isn’t enough simply to outlaw abortion. If we truly want to end abortion, we have to help women with unplanned pregnancies. Arkansas is home to more than 60 organizations that assist pregnant women — including some 45 pregnancy resource centers. The money that the State of Arkansas appropriated this year will make it possible for women to receive help from these good organizations.”

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