ABORTIONIST AGREES THAT SUPREME COURT SHOULD HEAR HIS PATIENT'S ANONYMITY APPEAL

Press Release: For immediate release, Monday, April 2, 2001

ABORTIONIST AGREES THAT SUPREME COURT SHOULD HEAR HIS PATIENT'S ANONYMITY APPEAL

MELBOURNE, FL -- In an unusual twist to a court case, a defendant abortionist agrees with a former patient who is suing him. The patient, a mother who was forcibly held on the table against her will during an abortion procedure at the Aware Woman Center for Choice, Inc. abortion clinic (now closed) has sued abortionist William Egherman and the abortion clinic in federal court. The patient is using the alias Jane Roe, II in this lawsuit to protect her privacy as guaranteed by the Roe v. Wade decision based on the privacy rights found by the Roe court in the 14th Amendment. The case is Jane Roe, II v. Aware Woman, et al. See http://www.forerunner.com/fyi/law/roe-v-aw/index.html

At the district court level, the court ruled that Jane Roe, II could not proceed anonymously in the case. This was the first time that an abortion patient has ever been denied anonymity in federal court. Roe appealed this decision to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals. On November 3, 2000 a 3 judge panel heard oral arguments in the case. After waiting more than 90 days for a decision, Jane Roe, II took her case to the U.S. Supreme Court where her petition for writ of certiorari was filed on February 12, 2001 and placed on the docket February 14, 2001 as No. 00-1301.

Aware Woman abortion clinic and abortionist Egherman filed separate Briefs in Opposition. As expected, Aware Woman opposes the petition and encourages the court to violate the privacy of their own patient, Jane Roe, II. So much for being in business to help women and protect their privacy.

In a surprise move, abortionist Egherman filed a Brief in Opposition but in conclusion says he "does not oppose this Court's granting the relief which Ms. Roe has requested in her Petition for Writ of Certiorari. . ."

This case is one of 6 petitions for certiorari before the U.S. Supreme Court regarding application of the FACE law. The entire history of this and the other 5 petitions, including other court documents, can be accessed at http://www.forerunner.com/cc/court/index.html

Jane Roe, II's attorney is Christopher Sapp, Esq. who can be contacted at (321)268-8758

Contact: Meredith Raney, Spokesman,
Christians For Life
Melbourne, Florida
(321)254-5481
Email: Meredith Raney

ATTACHMENT:
Clip from the Jane Roe, II v. Aware Woman Complaint, see
http://www.forerunner.com/fyi/law/roe-v-aw/1comp070999.htm for entire Complaint.

16. When the abortionist had barely started, Jane Roe, II felt extreme, excessive pain in her abdomen unlike any pain she had ever felt before. When Jane Roe, II told the abortionist's helpers about the pain in her stomach, defendants' staff looked at one another with horrified looks on their faces, saying nothing.

17. Immediately Jane Roe, II knew that the abortion was going terribly wrong. "Mom", " Mom", she started calling in a loud desperate voice. She then demanded that an ambulance be called to take her to the emergency room at the local hospital.

18. Instead of calling an ambulance, defendants' staff forcibly held Jane Roe, II on the table causing multiple bruises on her arms in the process. Jane Roe, II was now afraid for her life.

19. Defendant William P. Egherman continued the abortion as four other of defendants' employees held Jane Roe, II on the table against her will, preventing her escape from the facility.

20. Jane Roe, II continued her desperate struggling and very loud vocal demands that an ambulance be called. She begged the abortionist to stop, saying that she felt severe pain. Even though the abortionist had been told to stop several times, William P. Egherman again inserted an instrument into the plaintiff's vagina to continue the abortion. Jane Roe, II demanded that he stop. At this time she felt pain in her back. Members of the staff were attempting to insert an IV but were unable to locate a vein. The abortionist stopped what he was doing inside her and attempted to insert the IV needle. Jane Roe, II continued begging for an ambulance. Defendants' employees finally did call an ambulance, but much serious damage had already been done to their patient.

|TOP OF PAGE|