The jury rendered a verdict today (Nov. 15) in Planned Parenthood v. Center for Medical Progress, awarding plaintiffs Planned Parenthood Federation of America and numerous affiliates $2.2 million in actual and punitive damages.
The jury even found the defendants liable for Planned Parenthood’s racketeering (RICO) claims. The federal RICO statute was enacted to eradicate organized crime and requires a pattern of certain types of criminal acts. The Gambino and Lucchese crime families were prosecuted under RICO, as was Michael Milken who was convicted of securities fraud. In this case, Planned Parenthood attorneys allege that David Daleiden, Susan Merritt, Albin Rhomberg, Troy Newman, and the other pro-life defendants should be held liable under RICO for making two obviously fake IDs on a home printer over six years ago. Rhomberg and Newman had no knowledge of the IDs, yet the jury found them liable as co-conspirators. The RICO law allows plaintiffs to recover exorbitant treble damages (triple the claimed damages) and attorney fees.
The jury also found that the defendants violated federal recording laws. But, as Life Legal’s Katie Short pointed out in her closing argument, in order for the defendants to be liable for creating and publishing the videos under federal law, Planned Parenthood would have to produce evidence “that the recording was done for the purpose of committing a criminal act in the future….[that] everything done for the whole journalism project, including publishing the video, was somehow criminal, a crime.”
In this case, it’s exactly the opposite: the recordings were made for the purpose of exposing crimes.
To hold people liable for undercover investigative journalism that exposes criminal and unethical behavior is an offense to our constitutional rights and liberties, attorneys for the defendants argued.
Because the judge would not allow the First Amendment as a defense to Planned Parenthood’s claims, the jury held that the defendants were liable for recording or conspiring to record all of the video footage obtained by the Center for Medical Progress.
“We are appalled by today’s verdict,” said Life Legal executive director Alexandra Snyder. “It is as though the jury completely disregarded every piece of evidence we produced. Not only does Planned Parenthood engage in illegal and morally repugnant practices, but its agents never bothered to tell the defendants that the conversations about things like ‘crushing above and crushing below’ to get more desirable and salable body parts were confidential.”
“We will appeal this unjust result and fight to protect the First Amendment rights of investigative journalists to show us what happens behind the veil of powerful corporations like Planned Parenthood, who has relied on a shroud of secrecy to build its multi-billion dollar abortion empire.”
Watch live statement from defense attorney Katie Short here.
The above comes from a Nov. 15 story from Life Legal Defense Foundation.
I’m pretty sure this one is headed to the Supreme Court
Little do they see they are just pushing more for this man to one day be a living saint in the Church. His behavior in the mist of this daily white martyrdom speak volumes. He continues to defend truth and life at whatever the cost. Both speak loudly of God. I’m thinking of donating at the Center’s website. I assume they have a link. God bless him. Give him strenght and perservence during these trials. And may the truth be exposed.
This is outrageous! It’s good to hear that that case will be appealed. Investigative journalists have used undercover recordings for a half-century. The recordings were made in public places. The lawsuit is because the flagship of Big Abortion, Planned Parenthood, had their brand damaged. What they do, and what taxpayers have paid for, was brought out to the public. As our Lord Himself said, “Everyone who does evil hates the light and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.” (John 3:20)
Horrible. He is going to another Planned Parenthood trial in a few weeks
Our current, liberal-leftist judicial system is worthless! Investigative journalism, to expose horrific evils in our society, is a necessity–
and must be respected! Satan has won, for today! But God will have the final victory! The blood of the millions of children murdered in the womb, by their own, sinful mothers,, cries out to God for True Justice!
I think the Catholic Church needs to implement a strong Catechism program, as they used to have, worldwide– to inculcate
Christ’s teachings from an early age, and build religious faith, virtue and righteousness in society— and combat SIN and ignorance! Modern, Satanic evils, found in “hippie-free-love” Freudianism, selfishness, self-gratification, the “LGBT” agenda, leftist-liberalism, etc.– need to be burned to the ground! Our Lady of Fatima said that more souls go to Hell for sins of the flesh, than for any other! You simply cannot combat the Devil with naive “politeness” and “nice social graces” like our naive, liberal Pope and bishops! We need a strong Pope and his clerics, to be Knights for Christ — to start a Crusade– a War on Sin!
The Culture of Death strikes again. Pity our Pope is a Liberation Theology ideologue.