A California judge denied a gag order that would have blocked pro-life activists David Daleiden and Sandra Merrit and their attorneys from speaking to the public about the preliminary hearing that is currently underway.
California Attorney General Xavier Becerra had asked the Superior Court of California for San Francisco County to “limit the statements” of the parties, days after the head of a biotech company allegedly admitted in court to procuring intact fetal heads and beating hearts from abortions.
Becerra argued that the safety of the witnesses was at risk, noting that the CEO of StemExpress suffered harassment after her testimony.
Judge Christopher Hite denied the request on Wednesday.
Becerra filed criminal charges against Daleiden and Merritt over their undercover videos exposing Planned Parenthood’s alleged involvement in trafficking fetal body parts. The preliminary hearing, which began last week, is to determine whether the case should go to trial.
Since the start of the hearing, The Center for Medical Progress, founded by Daleiden, has been tweeting and providing summaries of each day’s proceedings, including testimonies by abortion employees and those that were filmed unknowingly by the two pro-life citizen journalists.
Among the reported testimonies was one from “Doe 12” on the third day of the hearing.
Liberty Counsel, who is representing Merritt, identified Doe 12 as the CEO of StemExpress, a biotech firm that procures fetal body parts for research.
According to CMP and Liberty Counsel, “Doe 12 admitted that when a fetal brain is able to be harvested, it is because the baby’s head may still be attached to the body after being pulled out of the womb. When confronted with her statements on undercover video about shipping ‘intact cases,’ she also did not deny that StemExpress harvests and transfers unborn children from completely intact abortions.”
“When ‘Doe 12’ was questioned about StemExpress’ connection with studies that require a beating heart, she hesitated. When the judge demanded an answer, she said reluctantly, ‘Yes, we have provided heart tissue to Stanford [University].’”
Full story at The Christian Post.
St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the Devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou, O prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God thrust into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.