After years of costly legal battles, the pro-abortion RICO case against Joe Scheidler and others has ended in the United States Supreme Court. In an 8-1 decision, a large majority of the Justices of the Nation's high court held that RICO, the federal anti-racketeering law, does not apply, and was never meant to apply to Scheidler and others who engaged in civil disobedience to stop abortion.
NOW had argued successfully in the lower courts that, by engaging in rescue blockades of clinics, the defendants were guilty of extortion, i.e., the “obtaining” of “property” through force or threat of force, and that multiple acts of “extortion” made the defendants liable under RICO.
The Court ruled, however, that while the defendants' activities might meet the legal definition of coercion, they did not rise to the level of extortion, as no property had been obtained by the defendants. On that basis, the Court reversed the $250,000 jury verdict against the defendants, as well as dissolving a nationwide injunction imposed by the trial court.
Stunned by the decision, the National Organization for Women vowed to continue to abuse the legal process by seeking to silence the pro-life message using federal law, such as the USA Patriot Act. Dana Cody, Executive Director of the Life Legal Defense Foundation, one of the organizations which filed an amicus brief in the Scheidler case, stated “The National Organization for SOME Women, not this woman, is obviously reeling from this decision. Neither RICO, nor The Patriot Act was ever meant to silence the message of citizens who oppose abortion. The staff of our organization is all women, and we are thrilled with yesterday's decision.”
Cecilia Cody, Executive Director of California Right to Life echoes these sentiments and applauds the court for its decision.
Life Legal Defense Foundation, established in 1989, is a non-profit organization composed of attorneys and other concerned citizens, committed to giving helpless and innocent human beings of any age, particularly the unborn, and their advocates, a trained and committed voice in the courtrooms of our nation.
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(This article courtesy of Christian Communication Network of Washington, DC. To subscribe or for further information, contact info@maranatha.tv or visit www.maranatha.tv.)
