Another Anti-Abortion Activist Accused of FACE Act Violation

In a sign that the administration is continuing to be more aggressive in suing those who violate the laws surrounding abortion clinic access, Maryland resident Richard Retta has been charged with "intimidating and interfering with patients for more than a decade."

Courthouse News reports:

The government says Retta "attempted to, and did, by physical obstruction, intentionally intimidate or interfere with persons because they were or had been providing or obtaining reproductive health services, or in order to intimidate such persons from providing or obtaining reproductive health services at the Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington."

Some of Retta's interferences included blocking entrances to the point where clients had to obtain outside assistance to get in, walking so closely to patients that he actually stepped on their shoes, following patients as they leave the clinic, even into oncoming traffic, and harassing visibly upset patients.  If convicted, he faces a $10,000 fine plus $5000 in damages to three different victims.

 

This post was originally published at RH Reality Check, a site of news, community and commentary for reproductive health and justice


 
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