Thomas More Society Defends Sidewalk Counselor Arrested for Offering Water in 100° Heat
Contact: Tom Ciesielka, 312-422-1333, tc@tcpr.net
CHICAGO, July 18, 2014 /Christian Newswire/
-- Yesterday, Planned Parenthood's criminal charges against Kathy
Thebo Forck were dismissed in Boone County Circuit Court. Forck, a
veteran pro-life sidewalk counselor and the campaign director of 40
Days for Life - Columbia was arrested for trespassing on July 24, 2012,
when she offered water to a truck driver in blazing 100°F heat. Forck
had approached the driver of a Stericycle truck driver as he was
leaving the abortion facility. Planned Parenthood accused Forck of
stepping onto their property and had her arrested.
"Dismissal
of the false trespass charges against Ms. Forck is a victory both for
justice and for the pro-life movement," said Daniel Baker, Thomas More
Society special counsel. "Ms. Forck has successfully helped to
eliminate abortions from being offered at the Columbia Planned
Parenthood facility through her peaceful sidewalk counseling, and this
does not warrant bogus charges being hurled at her in retaliation."
Forck
was first declared guilty at a trial in Columbia Municipal Court, but
her Thomas More Society special counsel Daniel Baker, from Law Office
of Cox & Associates, LLC, in Sedalia, Missouri, appealed the ruling
to the Circuit Court.
After
hearing the testimony of Planned Parenthood's witnesses and watching
the security camera footage allegedly documenting the trespass, Circuit
Court Judge Gary Oxenhandler declared sternly that Planned Parenthood
and the City of Columbia simply did not have the evidence to prove
their case.
"We
applaud the Judge's ruling to release Ms. Forck from spurious charges
that were trumped up on the basis of conflicting, patently false
testimony," remarked Tom Brejcha, president and chief counsel of the
Chicago-based Thomas More Society. "It is an honor to defend innocent,
pro-life heroes like Kathy Forck."
Also
affiliated with Sidewalk Advocates for Life, Forck continues to
peacefully offer sidewalk counseling to abortion-bound women at the
Columbia, Missouri, Planned Parenthood facility. Years of sidewalk
counseling and prayer vigils in Columbia have proven effective, as in
February, the Columbia Planned Parenthood lost its license and ceased
providing abortions.
About the Thomas More Society
The
Thomas More Society is a not-for-profit, national public interest law
firm dedicated to restoring respect in law for life, family, and
religious liberty. Based in Chicago, the Thomas More Society defends
and fosters support for these causes by providing high quality pro bono
legal services from local trial courts all the way to the United
States Supreme Court.
