Supreme Court Asked to Decide Whether Abortion Kills Human Being
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- The Supreme Court on Monday will decide whether or not it will hold a hearing on an appeal in a case involving an abortion practitioner who misled a woman. Abortion practitioner Sheldon Turkish told potential abortion patient Rose Acuna that her unborn baby was "nothing but some blood."
The case is heralded by some pro-life attorneys as the first chance for the Supreme Court in 35 years to decide whether abortions kills a human being. After the New Jersey Supreme Court said in November that it won't reconsider the decision it handed down in September against Acuna, her attorney filed an appeal with the Supreme Court. The case involves a 1996 abortion and Acuna says Turkish misled her but the New Jersey court ruled Turkish didn't have to tell Acuna that the abortion would kill her baby. A kidney disorder made Acuna's pregnancy difficult and Turkish advised her to have an abortion. She was about six to seven weeks pregnant at the time of the abortion. According to the lawsuit, Acuna asked if "the baby was already there" and Turkish replied that it's "nothing but some blood." Full story at LifeNews.com
California Parental Notification on Abortion Measure Gets Boost in Second Poll
Sacramento, CA (LifeNews.com) -- The second poll in as many days shows a plurality of California voters support Proposition 4, a ballot measure that would allow parents to know when their minor daughters are considering an abortion. The measure draws the support of 49 percent of California residents thanks in part to Latino voters. A new Field Poll of 830 likely voters finds the measure leading 49-41 percent with another 10 percent of voters undecided. Among Hispanic voters, who now account for 17 percent of all voters in the state, support for the parental notification measure jumps to 62-31 percent. That could help push the poll over the top after it lost twice in 2005 and 2006. "Latino voters are more supportive of the measure than in the past elections," Mark DiCamillo, director of the Field Poll, said about the new survey. "The timing of the vote also helps, since Latinos make up a larger proportion of the voters in a presidential election." DiCamillo also noted that many of the undecided voters opposed the notification measure after last-minute ad campaigns by abortion advocates and that they are expected to do the same thing this time around. The Field Poll also showed that Republicans favor the measure by a 69 percent margin while 50 percent of Democrats are opposed to it. While 80 percent of conservatives back the measure, 66 percent of liberals oppose it. Full story at LifeNews.com
Australia Judge in Brisbane Criticized for Allowing Abortion on 12-Year-Old Girl
Brisbane, Australia (LifeNews.com) -- A judge in Australia is coming under heavy criticism for allowing a 12-year-old girl to have an abortion. Queensland Supreme Court Justice Margaret Wilson has ordered that doctors in the Australian state be allowed to give the young girl the dangerous abortion drug mifepristone (RU 486). The decision came in a closed-door hearing last week and the court heard how the girl in question is 18 weeks pregnant. The girl sought the abortion at a public hospital and apparently has the support of her parents. State government attorneys brought the case before the judge on behalf of the physicians and said the court had to approve the abortion because of the girl's young age. According to local media, the girl in question is mentally disabled and the court was told that she may not have a full understanding and appreciation of the situation. Although the girl was an obvious victim of sexual abuse, Judge Wilson granted the abortion request and said taking the baby's life was in the girl's best interest. Full story at LifeNews.com
