Grand Jury Investigating Planned Parenthood Clinic Will Not Issue Indictment

Main Category: Abortion
Also Included In: Litigation / Medical Malpractice
Article Date: 06 Mar 2008 - 8:00 PDT

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A Johnson County, Kan., grand jury refused to indict Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri's Comprehensive Health clinic, the AP/Lawrence Journal-World reports (Gross, AP/Lawrence Journal-World, 3/4).

A coalition of abortion opponents called Life is for Everyone, led by Operation Rescue, had submitted a citizens' petition to convene the Johnson County, Kan., grand jury. Kansas is one of six states that allows citizens to petition to empanel a grand jury. The grand jury petition alleged that Comprehensive Health performs illegal abortions and provides false information to state officials (Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 12/12/07).

The grand jury had issued a subpoena in January seeking the records of 16 clinic patients. PPKM did not turn over the records out of concern the patients would be identified. Johnson County District Attorney Phill Kline (R), who is conducting a separate investigation of the clinic, asked Kansas District Judge Kevin Moriarty to require the clinic to turn over the records. The clinic later turned over only the records that were relevant to the grand jury's questions regarding parental notification and informed consent.

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Peter Brownlie, president and CEO of PPKM, said the organization was "vindicated," as it has been "any time there is an objective review" of the allegations. "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," Brownlie said.

According to the AP/Journal-World, Life is for Everyone was upset with the grand jury's decision and said its case was weakened because the panel did not have access to all of the records it had initially subpoenaed. "Planned Parenthood cannot claim they are free of any indictment because the full evidence never reached the grand jury," Tim Golba, spokesperson for the coalition, said. Cheryl Sullenger, spokesperson for Operation Rescue, said the panel did not appear to seriously investigate the allegations against the clinic, adding that the group is "considering a second grand jury effort."

Brownlie said that he expected abortion-rights opponents to say the panel'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, adding, "The only people who continue to insist that there's criminal wrongdoing are people who have a political agenda."

Brian Burgess, a spokesperson for Kline, declined to comment and said Kline was unavailable to comment (AP/Lawrence Journal-World, 3/4).

Reprinted with kind permission from http://www.nationalpartnership.org. You can view the entire Daily Women's Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery here. The Daily Women's Health Policy Report is a free service of the National Partnership for Women & Families, published by The Advisory Board Company.

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