Life Legal attorneys appeared in court today on behalf of four Red Rose Rescuers who were arrested inside a Washington DC abortion clinic earlier this year.
The rescuers, Fr. Fidelis Moscinski, Will Goodman, Matthew Connolly, and Patrice Woodworth, entered Capital Womens Services to talk and pray with women seeking abortion. The abortion facility is run by notorious late-term abortionist Steven Brigham. Brigham lost his medical licenses in at least six states because of gross negligence. He was also charged with murder in Maryland after the bodies of 35 full-term fetuses were found in his freezer.
Capital Women‘s Services has the lowest possible rating on Yelp, with reviewers describing the facility as “disgusting,” “dirty,” “unprofessional,” and “filthy.” Several Google reviews described the horror of incomplete abortions and excessive bleeding. The clinic does abortions up to 36 weeks.
The attorney for the Red Rose Rescuers planned to argue a “necessity defense,“ meaning that the danger to women and babies was so great that the defendants had to resort to trespass in order save them from harm. We had an expert witness—an ob/gyn and former abortionist—prepared to testify as to the harms caused by abortion. Unfortunately, the court disallowed the use of the necessity defense in this case, which means our expert was not permitted to testify. Nevertheless, the attorney gave a strong defense for the sanctity of life by describing “the undeniable harm to the unborn“ caused by Capital Women‘s Services, including unimaginable pain suffered by babies in the second and third trimesters.
The judge dismissed the case against the Red Rose Rescuer‘s when the prosecution‘s key witness from the abortion facility did not bother show up for trial. This is not the first time a witness from Capital Women’s Services failed to appear and we are reviewing our options to ensure that this does not happen again. While we are pleased that the case against the Red Rose Rescuers was dismissed, the government’s prosecutors cannot be permitted to drag our clients into court without evidence of wrongdoing.
Life Legal is honored to support the Red Rose Rescuers in their courageous witness on behalf of babies in the womb.
Thank you for your representation in this most important work. May the Lord of Life be glorified in your defense of His Little Ones and all that is holy.
Thank you for your fine representation, advice, and efforts on behalf of human life. God bless you!