Pro-Life Groups Demand D.A. Drop Charges Against David Daleiden for Exposing Planned Parenthood

National   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Feb 2, 2016   |   5:04PM   |   Washington, DC

A coalition of pro-life groups is urging Harris County District Attorney Devon Anderson to drop the charges filed against two pro-life advocates, including David Daleiden, for exposing the Planned Parenthood selling the body parts of aborted babies.

The Texas grand jury indicted David Daleiden and another pro-life activist, Sandra Merritt, behind the videos. Instead of prosecuting Planned Parenthood for selling aborted baby parts, Daleiden was indicted for buying them.

Daleiden and Merritt were charged with one felony related to tampering with a governmental record and a misdemeanor count related to buying human tissue. The felony charge was in reference to the use of a fake ID. If convicted, Daleiden faces 20 years in prison while Planned Parenthood officials face no legal consequences for their actions.

The groups will deliver petitions from pro-life advocates who are standing behind Daleiden and asking that the bogus charges filed against him be dropped. A petition LifeNews.com has sponsored has the signatures of almost 25,000 people.

At the same time, Daleiden and Merritt are expected to turn themselves in on the charges and be bonded out.

SIGN THE PETITION: Drop the Charges Against David Daleiden and Charge Planned Parenthood

Texas Right to Life Senior Legislative Associate Emily Horne told LifeNews.com today, “While indictment is not indicative of guilt, we urge District Attorney Anderson to drop all charges against David and Sandra, and turn her attention to the lawbreakers of Planned Parenthood who commit injustices against unborn Texas children every day.”

“As our state and country continue to see the reality of abortion through the actions of Planned Parenthood caught on camera, we as an organization seek to change the law.  These shocking videos underscore the need for Texas to make dismemberment abortion illegal.  Without the violent dismemberment of children in the womb, the abortion industry would not be able to strategically harvest saleable parts, and the issue of trafficking baby body parts would be moot,” her organization said.

Christian Defense Coalition president Reverend Patrick Mahoney also urged that the charges against the pro-life advocates be rescinded.

“The tactics of David and Sandra are those used by journalists every day,” said Mahoney.  “Yet rather than stop the destruction and exploitation of innocent human Life, the grand jury targeted them for engaging in this most important of work — exposing those who profit from the violence of abortion and the diminishing of women.”

Harris County District Attorney Devon Anderson has defended her indictment of pro-life advocate David Daleiden despite the fact that a Planned Parenthood abortion business board members works as a prosecutor in her office. And new information LifeNews uncovered shows Anderson’s campaign received more than $25,000 from the attorney who works for a late-term abortionist.

Since the indictment, Anderson is facing criticism over her failure to prosecute an abortionist known as the Kermit Gosnell of Houston.

Anderson oversaw a previous abortion-related grand jury investigation of Houston abortionist Douglas Karpen after Operation Rescue released evidence in the form of photos and witness testimony that babies were being born alive during abortions and intentionally killed by twisting their necks. This case garnered publicity in the wake of the conviction of Pennsylvania abortionist Kermit Gosnell on three counts of First Degree Murder for intentionally killing babies born alive during abortions in a similar fashion.

That Anderson-led grand jury failed to indict Karpen despite the considerable evidence against him.

Karpen was represented at his trial by attorney Chip Lewis, who donated more than $25,000 to Anderson’s re-election campaign. Anderson has an extensive relationship with Lewis as did her husband when he was district attorney.

Anderson has also come under considerable fire for what pro-life advocates call a politically motivated indictment and because a Planned Parenthood board member works for Anderson as an assistant district attorney. Lauren Reeder is a prosecutor in the Harris County District Attorney’s criminal family law division. Reeder is listed as a non-compensated “Director” on the 990 Tax Form for 2014 filed by Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast.

Although Anderson indicates Reeder had no role in the Daleiden indictment, there’s really no way of knowing if that is truly the case. Because of that, pro-life advocates have called for the appointment of a special prosecutor to look into the indictment and the fact that the grand jury never voted on charges related to Planned Parethood’s sale of aborted babies.

With her top campaign contributor representing a prominent abortion practitioner and a Planned Parenthood board member working in her office, the attorney for  pro-lifer investigator Susan Merritt said it’s no wonder that Devon Anderson indicted the pro-life investigators as opposed to Planned Parenthood.

Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel, told LifeNews: “There is a history of bias in the DA’s office involving abortion doctors and Planned Parenthood. We will intend to shine the light on the process. We believe the prosecutor and the grand jury twisted the law. Sandra Merritt should never have been indicted. The focus and the inquiry should and will remain on the horrific abortion practices of Planned Parenthood.”

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