The trial for some of the pro-life activists arrested last year on charges of violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (FACE Act) has begun. Nine people were arrested, but they will be tried in separate groups. Five of the nine — Lauren Handy, John Hinshaw, Heather Idoni, Herb Geraghty, and Will Goodman — will have their day in court beginning this week, while the other four — Joan Bell, Paulette Harlow, Jean Marshal, and Jonathan Darnel — will stand trial in September.
Last year, the nine activists were arrested for a Red Rose Rescue they led at Washington Surgi-Clinic in Washington, D.C., on October 22, 2020. This abortion facility is operated by late-term abortionist Cesare Santangelo, who was the subject of one of Live Action’s undercover investigations.
In an e-mail update on pretrial proceedings from Louis Joseph, Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly was said to have refused a number of motions from the defense. This included motions for a necessity defense and a defense of person or persons, meaning that the pro-life activists will not be allowed to call expert witnesses or give evidence on the humanity of preborn children. The judge also reportedly refused to allow any witnesses willing to testify to the defendants’ good behavior or character.
Caroline Smith, the new executive director for the Progressive Anti-Abortion Uprising (PAAU), opened the press conference. “This is the trial of the decade of the pro-life movement,” she said. “This could be the trial that repeals the FACE Act. This could be the trial that could mean Justice for the Five. This is so important, and I am honored to stand with all of these people behind me and next to me, as we work towards getting justice for the unborn.”
Terrisa Bukovinac, the founder of both PAAU and Pro-Life San Francisco, as well as the former president of Democrats for Life of America, applauded the activists for their bravery and called for the FACE Act to be repealed. “The FACE Act was signed into law by President Bill Clinton nearly 29 years ago,” she said, adding, “It was widely believed that the FACE Act would be applied equally, to those who both opposed and supported abortion. Many pro-lifers believed that the FACE Act would protect pregnancy centers, churches, and pro-lifers. But over the last 29 years, we have seen that the enforcement of the FACE Act has been anything but equal.”
Bukovinac noted that, since being enacted, 126 pro-lifers have been indicted under the FACE Act, compared to just three pro-abortion activists. “Things have only gotten worse under the Biden administration,” she said.
A leaked e-mail from the Department of Justice showed that the threat of pro-abortion violence following the fall of Roe v. Wade, was downplayed, and as that violence has continued over the past year, the Biden DOJ has done very little to stop it.
Several of the co-defendants spoke during the press conference. Lauren Handy, director of activism for PAAU, spoke about the experience of discovering the bodies of aborted preborn children at Santangelo’s abortion facility. “I held those babies in my hands,” she said, adding that preborn children must be protected. “Extreme acts of violence must be met with bold acts of love. And that’s why I can stand here today with my head held high, and without shame.”
Another co-defendant, Herb Geraghty, spoke at the press conference as well, and said the solidarity of the pro-life movement has been meaningful. “I think that this is scary,” Geraghty admitted. “I think that this is 11 years in federal prison, plus hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of fines for non-violent, pro-life free speech. That’s unbelievable.”
Will Goodman, who is also a co-defendant, said there is a “conspiracy of silence” throughout the government, and urged people to be the voice for the preborn, saying, “We are honored to be witnesses and voices for them.”
The trial is expected to continue for three weeks.
