New Motions Filed in Planned Parenthood Lawsuit

Katie Cropped

After months of aggressive pro-abort moves against David Daleiden and the Center for Medical Progress, Life Legal is striking back with motions designed to stop Planned Parenthood in its tracks!

Life Legal has filed a motion to dismiss the case of Planned Parenthood v. Center for Medical Progress (CMP) and David Daleiden. In addition, six amicus—or “friend of the court”—briefs were submitted on behalf of Daleiden in the National Abortion Federation’s lawsuit against CMP. A seventh, neutral, brief filed by a diverse group of constitutional scholars discusses the critical First Amendment issues at play in that appeal.

The amicus briefs were provided by the following organizations: American Catholic Lawyers AssociationCharlotte Lozier InstituteJustice and Freedom Fundthe law firm of Peace | Crowellthe Attorney Generals of 14 statesSusan B. Anthony List, and several Members of Congress.

The briefs cover a diverse range of issues, including the American public’s “unfettered right in our society to have access to important information about controversial matters,” such as abortion. Judge William Orrick of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California recently granted NAF’s request for an injunction to prohibit public access to video evidence of Planned Parenthood abortion providers discussing trafficking in fetal body parts while at a NAF conference.

The district court’s ruling was based in part on NAF’s allegations that the videos were “deceptively edited.” The amicus brief signed by six Members of Congress analyzes the findings of an independent forensic report which irrefutably established that the videos were not manipulated, altered, doctored, or misleadingly edited in any way.

“We find the free speech arguments provided by eleven law professors, including some of the nation’s leading constitutional experts, to be particularly compelling,” says Life Legal Defense Foundation Executive Director Alexandra Snyder. “With each day that goes by, the court’s ruling erodes our First Amendment protections by impeding the free flow of information. Without Daleiden’s undercover videos, the public would not have learned about the abortion industry’s practice of selling the parts of aborted babies. The public clearly has a right to access this important information.”

Life Legal also filed a motion to dismiss Planned Parenthood’s separate lawsuit against Daleiden. That motion is scheduled to be heard July 6.

Please help Life Legal defend David Daleiden and the First Amendment!