Judge Drops Charge Against Antiabortion Activists in Planned Parenthood Case

[Sparko]

DALLAS—A Texas judge on Tuesday dismissed the remaining charge against two antiabortion activists who took undercover videos of their attempt to buy fetal parts from Planned Parenthood Federation of America.

David Daleiden, one of the activists, said just hours after the ruling that he plans to release “more shocking and damning” footage involving Planned Parenthood once a gag order is lifted in a civil case in California.

Mr. Daleiden, 27 years old, and Sandra Merritt, 63, each faced a felony charge of tampering with government records for using fake California driver’s licenses to access a Planned Parenthood clinic. The charge carried a possible sentence of up to 20 years in prison.

The case was dismissed at the request of the Harris County prosecutor’s office, according to court records. The charges were dropped because the grand jury that issued the indictments was given additional information after an extension period, a move that overstepped legal limits, the district attorney said.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/antiabor...ase-1469550664

[Teallaura]

Sandi Rios was talking about it this morning. Her guest was one of the attorneys. Evidently, the prosecutor's took the least onerous of the unwinnable objections: that the GJ had violated Texas law and gone outside their mandate.

[Jedidiah]

GJ had violated Texas law.

I never did.

[Jaecp]

Woo, got off with a technicality!

[Tassman]

Woo, got off with a technicality!

Yes, a technically. AND the grand jury cleared Planned Parenthood of any wrongdoing in any event.

[Teallaura]

Woo, got off with a technicality!

No, it most definitely ISN'T a technicality. A grand jury running wild should scare the pants off of you - it has enormous power. It acted improperly - WAY PAST improperly both under Texas law and in the basic ethics division.

Remember, the laws that restrict the grand jury protect YOU as well.

[Jaecp]

No, it most definitely ISN'T a technicality. A grand jury running wild should scare the pants off of you - it has enormous power. It acted improperly - WAY PAST improperly both under Texas law and in the basic ethics division.

Remember, the laws that restrict the grand jury protect YOU as well.

The case was dismissed at the request of the Harris County prosecutor’s office, according to court records. The charges were dropped because the grand jury that issued the indictments was given additional information after an extension period, a move that overstepped legal limits, the district attorney said.

They made a procedural error, admitted it and asked for the case to be dismissed. Certainly looks like it was dismissed on something technical as opposed to the merits of the case, aka, a technicality. And yes, those technical aspects of the legal system are to protect us from malfeasance. This case was dismissed for such a violation and not for the grand jury "running wild" or whatever, but because the prosecutors office gave them extra information past a certain deadline.

[Teallaura]

They made a procedural error, admitted it and asked for the case to be dismissed. Certainly looks like it was dismissed on something technical as opposed to the merits of the case, aka, a technicality. And yes, those technical aspects of the legal system are to protect us from malfeasance. This case was dismissed for such a violation and not for the grand jury "running wild" or whatever, but because the prosecutors office gave them extra information past a certain deadline.

No, a procedural error - which this isn't - would not have gone so far. Prosecutors, not grand juries, have discretion. The DA knew the instant he heard the finding that they were out of bounds - or he's an incompetent - yet he proceeded until he finally realized the accused had competent counsel and he was about to get a very big black eye. He simply picked the least onerous of a bad bunch of excuses.