Grand Jury Refuses Abortion Indictment

(AP)  A Johnson County grand jury has refused to issue an indictment against Planned Parenthood after investigating the agency's clinic in suburban Kansas City.

Planned Parenthood officials said the grand jury's verdict of "no true bill" was announced in court Monday evening.

Abortion opponents, through a petition, had forced the court to convene the panel and investigate whether Planned Parenthood's Overland Park, Kan., clinic violated state restrictions on abortion. They also wanted to see whether the clinic was illegally trafficking in fetal tissue.

"We are once again vindicated, as we have been any time there is an objective review of these allegations," said Peter Brownlie, president and chief executive officer for Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri. "The jury investigated all of the allegations that were in the petition that resulted in the grand jury being formed, and they found no evidence of any wrongdoing."

Planned Parenthood attorney Pedro Irigonegaray said of Monday's verdict, "It gives me great faith in the justice system and the people of Kansas."

Those who called for the grand jury were upset with the outcome. They believe the grand jury's case was weakened because the panel did not get all the records it initially sought. The jury convened in December, but saw its investigation delayed for more than a month while it waited on records from Planned Parenthood.

"Planned Parenthood cannot claim they are free of any indictment, because the full evidence never reached the grand jury," said Tim Golba, spokesman for the LIFE (Life Is for Everyone) Coalition, the anti-abortion collaborative that petitioned for the grand jury.

The jurors issued a subpoena in January seeking the records of 16 clinic patients, but Planned Parenthood was concerned that information in the records would identify the patients.

Johnson County District Attorney Phill Kline, who has started his own separate investigation into Planned Parenthood, asked District Judge Kevin Moriarty to make the agency and its clinic abide by the subpoena.

Kline also asked for the grand jury's investigation to be extended, given the delay over records.

In the end, Planned Parenthood was allowed to turn over a limited number of records — ones relevant to the grand jury's questions about parental notice and informed consent. Jurors wanted to determine whether the clinic complied with state laws on these issues.

The laws requires a parent or guardian of a minor seeking an abortion to be notified, and that a woman must be given information about the procedure or alternatives 24 hours before an abortion is performed.

Kline spokesman Brian Burgess declined to comment Monday. Burgess said Kline, who is working on a murder trial, was unavailable for comment.

Cheryl Sullenger, spokeswoman with Operation Rescue, one of the groups in the LIFE Coalition, said she isn't surprised by the grand jury's verdict. She said jurors didn't appear to seriously investigate all of the allegations.

"We've been considering a second grand jury effort," Sullenger said. "That's something that's on the table right now.'"

Brownlie said he expected abortion opponents to claim the grand jury's work was tainted.

"Any time a decision is different from the one they want, they will claim it's because of some nefarious doings," he said. "The only people who continue to insist that there's criminal wrongdoing are people who have a political agenda."

[guidosfoot]

I notice, Michelle, that you haven''t bothered to refute what I said about the cost of education. I also see that you can''t refute what I said about your right to determine who is or is not fit to bear children. You can assert that you''re not nuts, but that you''re not ignorant of the law--that isn''t even debatable.

[michellem99-2009]

BarbCJ1 Teachers do not tell others to shut up. It is rude. Them shoes ye said they hurt. Had a teacher told me to shut up I be right down to the office telling them that teacher is out of line. I would have if he/she did. Quiet please is the right term.
As to the poster that called Michelle a nut well Dear that is not yer place to call any one nuts.. As for my poor grammar I am 53 and legally blind. I am irish/American. My kin way back came from there. Barbara-Ann

[barbjc1]

I am so sick of this abortion issue by those goody two shoes activists. It is no one''s business but the girl/woman''s if she is considering getting an abortion. It is between her, her doctor and her God,if she has a religious faith.
I teach and I have seen too many grandparents raising the child because the biological mother was shamed INTO NOT getting an abortion.
Until you walk in that girl/woman''s shoes shut up.

[guidosfoot]

And what''s with the "ye" business?

[guidosfoot]

That said, you''re nuts, Michelle.

[guidosfoot]

Edit to add: Suppose I don''t drive a car. Why should I pay for the construction of roads I don''t use?

The reason we all pay for the education of children who aren''t our own is for the betterment of our society as a whole.

[guidosfoot]

So because you pay taxes to educate children, you reserve the right to decide who should or shouldn''t have them? Suppose I don''t drive a car? Why should I pay taxes for their construction? Suppose I don''t support the war? Why should my taxes go toward funding it?

You can spew and fuss as much as you want, but your premise is absurd. You don''t want to force women to have children, but you think it''s okay to force them to be sterilized against their will? Neither one is
acceptable and no, you don''t have any right legally to demand either.

[michellem99-2009]

YES I DO as I am 53 and forced to pay to educate that child in the school system. I was fixed at 28 after demanding it. As long as ye have kids in the schools,it is not free, Jane and John Doe Public pays. It would be fair that the parents pay to educate not everybody. Ye think it is right to force a handicapped lady who has the mind of a child to bear a child when the state will take that baby away. I have met persons who should not be mothers as the grandmother of the baby has her paws full. So yes there are ladies the kindest humame thing is to fix them. I had a classmate years ago that when she had her period it unset her as she could not understand why every month.

[guidosfoot]

I think perhaps you should consider being sterilized so as to avoid polluting the gene pool.

[michellem99-2009]

This is a lady''s issue. I surely do have a say in this. Who is paying to educate the children. IT IS NOT FAIR TO FORCE CARRYING A UNBORN ON A WOMAN. If Drs. would fix a woman''s tubes when she that Dr. to for health reasons or the fact she does not want to bring a child into this cold world. Sure babies are cute but they are DEMANDING. They know no better. I was a teen and heard horror stories of the back alley. A girl bleed to death having an illegal abortion. That was what the girls did in 70. I will stand by my word. Where do ye think the unwanted children go..Certainly not any place nice -foster care. I and others know that life. Did ye read on this site about a baby dumped in a cab.