Today the Harris County District Attorney decided to drop the remaining felony charges against David Daleiden and Sanda Merritt, the two Center for Medical Progress investigators who went undercover for two years to expose the abortion industry’s harvesting of aborted baby parts.
Last month, a judge dismissed the charge against Daleiden that he allegedly engaged in the trafficking of human organs. The remaining felony charge, which was overturned today, was for allegedly using fake identification. Daleiden’s lawyer called it a win for the First Amendment.
“David Daleiden used standard undercover journalism techniques and followed all applicable laws in doing so,” Peter Breen of the Thomas More Society said. “This meritless and retaliatory prosecution should never have been brought.”
Now, Planned Parenthood of the Gulf Coast has responded.
Today, the Harris County prosecutor suddenly dropped the pending felony charges against Daleiden, relying on a technical concern relating to the grand jury proceedings. This is not the same as finding that Daleiden is innocent of the criminal charges. Three civil cases remain pending against Daleiden to hold him responsible for the frauds he perpetrated.
Planned Parenthood of the Gulf Coast President and CEO Melaney Linton also chimed in, saying:
“Planned Parenthood provides high-quality, compassionate health care and has been cleared of any wrongdoing time and again. Daleidan and other anti-abortion extremists, on the other hand, spent three years creating a fake company, creating fake identities, and lying.
“When they couldn’t find any improper or illegal activity, they made it up. They spread malicious lies about Planned Parenthood in order to advance their anti-abortion agenda. The decision to drop the prosecution on a technicality does not negate the fact that the only people who engaged in wrongdoing are the extremists behind this fraud.”
This is the same tactic that was used last month when the previous charged was dismissed. By framing it as a mere technicality, they can insinuate that Daleiden is actually guilty, and can therefore discredit his work. The fact of the matter is, the Center for Medical Progress did find improper and potentially illegal activity by the abortion giant.
Planned Parenthood even openly admitted to harvesting body parts— and that wasn’t their only abuse. They admitted to intentionally altering abortion procedures so they could better collect body parts, and reportedly killed babies born alive after abortions. And while Planned Parenthood continues to try to claim that the videos were fake, two forensic analyses — including one commissioned by Planned Parenthood itself — found that the videos were authentic and not tampered with.
Abortion advocates tried to use these charges to discredit the Center for Medical Progress, but the facts remain clear. Planned Parenthood has perpetuated abuse against women and children, which sparked congressional investigations, multiple state investigations, and their crimes have prompted numerous states to defund the abortion giant. Trying to point the finger at Daleiden and Merritt failed.
Planned Parenthood wasn’t found innocent in the baby parts scandal, despite what they try to claim — and yet, Daleiden and Merritt have. Eventually, the truth will always come out.
