« Supreme Court Rules Against Muslim Prisoner | Main | Center for Public Integrity: Web Site Assembles U.S. Prewar Claims »
January 23, 2008
MO: Federal Appeals Panel Rules that the State Must Provide Transportation to Prisoners Wanting Abortions
State prisons must transport inmates for abortions
Associated Press
ST. LOUIS, MO (2008-01-22) A federal appeals court panel rules today that the state of Missouri must provide transportation to abortion clinics for inmates who want to undergo the procedure.
The state in 2005 tried to end the practice of driving prisoners to clinics for elective abortions. An inmate at the prison in Vandalia filed a class-action suit.
A three-judge panel of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals sided with a lower court ruling in favor of the inmate.
It isn't clear if the state will appeal. Calls seeking comment from Attorney General Jay Nixon and Governor Blunt were not returned. The ruling comes on the 35th anniversary of the Supreme Court's Roe versus Wade decision, which established a nationwide right to abortion.
© Copyright 2008, KWMU
http://publicbroadcasting.net/kwmu/news.newsmain?action=printarticle&ARTICLE_ID=1215538
Posted by lois at January 23, 2008 11:16 AM