Creator of Planned Parenthood videos indicted in Texas

[Suzanimal]

An investigation into Planned Parenthood took a bizarre twist on Monday after a grand jury brought charges against the pair of individuals claiming to expose the group instead.

A grand jury in Houston, Texas announced criminal charges against a pair of anti-abortion activists, David Daleiden and Sandra Merritt, for their roles in creating now-viral videos attacking Planned Parenthood, according to multiple local reports.

The jurors had spent two months reviewing undercover footage produced by Daleiden’s group, the Center for Medical Progress, at the request of Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R).

Daleiden claimed that his footage showed Planned Parenthood officials haggling over the price of aborted fetal organs as part of the organization's fetal tissue donation program in some states.

As Patrick announced the criminal probe last August, he was deeply critical of Planned Parenthood, suggesting that the group was “dismembering aborted babies” and “selling babies fully intact.”

“The people of America and the people of Texas will not accept this callous attitude toward human life, and I will not accept it,” Patrick said during a press conference at the State Capitol in August, according to local news station KXAN.

But jurors said Monday they did not find evidence of illegal activity by Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast.

Instead, Daleiden was indicted for “prohibition of the purchase and sale of human organs.” He and Merritt were both indicted for “tampering with a governmental record.”

"It is an affirming day for Planned Parenthood," Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast spokeswoman Rochelle Tafolla said, according to the Houston Chronicle. "We feel vindicated."

Planned Parenthood has repeatedly accused Daleiden of breaking the law to create his videos, including falsifying government IDs to enter restricted areas like conferences for abortion providers.

...

http://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/266958-creator-of-planned-parenthood-videos-indicted-in-texas

 

[donnay]

A real gumshoe investigative reporter would have done exactly what these two did to get a great news story. 1st amendment and Free Press. If you have nothing to hide what is the problem?

 

[staerker]

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/grand-jury-indicts-leader-planned-parenthood-videos-36512019

A Houston grand jury investigating undercover footage of Planned Parenthood found no wrongdoing Monday by the abortion provider and instead indicted anti-abortion activists involved in making the videos that provoked outrage among Republican leaders nationwide.

David Daleiden, founder of the Center for Medical Progress, was indicted on a felony charge of tampering with a governmental record and a misdemeanor count related to purchasing human organs. Another activist, Sandra Merritt, was also indicted on a charge of tampering with a governmental record. It's the first time anyone in the group has been charged criminally since the videos started surfacing last year.

In a statement announcing the indictment, Harris County District Attorney Devon Anderson didn't provide details on the charges, including what record or records were allegedly tampered with and why Daleiden faces a charge related to buying human organs. Anderson's office said it could not provide details until the documents charging Daleiden and Merritt were formally made public, which was expected later Monday.

 

[Origanalist]

The death cult will be squirming in orgasmic ecstasy over this.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

the entire country condones violence, its everywhere . Police, sports, schools, news promotes it(hate your neighbor,love your flag propaganda), "We're better than them" race mentality because regardless of how "modern" the younger generations pretend to be they are still as racist as their fathers except its become an indifference more than it is in your face type of racism, indifference is at the root of most of this to be honest. Indifference is what makes people misunderstand their neighbor, hate their neighbor but at the same time not take a minute to even be part of a conflict that might change for the better...because its better for someone else to have blood on their hands, or have blood on their face.Abortion is part of that "be indifferent" category...., see no violence say nothing, see no violence dont oppose it...same with the war hawks, they see no violence on their own door step so they condone it.

 

[PierzStyx]

Proving once again that legality and morality are not the same thing.

 

[ChristianAnarchist]

Goons gonna goon...

 

[phill4paul]

The death cult will be squirming in orgasmic ecstasy over this.

Already witnessed this on FB.

 

[kcchiefs6465]

I'm surprised God hasn't smacked this planet with an asteroid for their evil ways.

 

[nobody's_hero]

So apparently one of the prosecutors in the DA's office is or was a Planned Parenthood board member.

Lauren Reeder, one of the prosecutors in the Harris County district attorney’s office, revealed last August that she was a member of the board of directors for the Planned Parenthood affiliate that was targeted by Daleiden.

http://thefederalist.com/2016/01/25...issues-no-charges-against-planned-parenthood/

Many commenters on the interwebs saying this is a conflict of interest. I hope the case is thrown out on its ass.

 

[Slave Mentality]

We can holler from the peanut gallery with little worry, but do something that matters and gets a lot of attention? Well, here you go. Keep your heads down, slaves. Work hard and pay your fair share.

 

[Danke]

Attack the messenger.

 

[oyarde]

I'm surprised God hasn't smacked this planet with an asteroid for their evil ways.

I am kind of expecting it .

 

[oyarde]

The death cult will be squirming in orgasmic ecstasy over this.

the blood thirst for innocents cannot be quenched .

 

[Voluntarist]

xxxxx

 

[AngryCanadian]

Doing good journalism with Fake ID licensees.

 

[GunnyFreedom]

I just...


fuck.

 

[fisharmor]

Like my dad always said, if I owned Hell and Texas, I'd rent out Texas and live in Hell.

 

[jbauer]

Seriously??!!??? What a joke. On a related note, gofundme or similar is going to get a bunch of commissions when these guys/gals set up an account to pay for their legal fees.

 

[Weston White]

Standard 3- 1.2 The Function of the Prosecutor

(a) The office of prosecutor is charged with responsibility for prosecutions in its jurisdiction.

(b) The prosecutor is an administrator of justice, an advocate, and an officer of the court; the prosecutor must exercise sound discretion in the performance of his or her functions.

(c) The duty of the prosecutor is to seek justice, not merely to convict.

(d) It is an important function of the prosecutor to seek to reform and improve the administration of criminal justice. When inadequacies or injustices in the substantive or procedural law come to the prosecutor's attention, he or she should stimulate efforts for remedial action.

(e) It is the duty of the prosecutor to know and be guided by the standards of professional conduct as defined by applicable professional traditions, ethical codes, and law in the prosecutor's jurisdiction. The prosecutor should make use of the guidance afforded by an advisory council of the kind described in standard 4-1.5.

Standard 3-1.3 Conflicts of Interest

(a) A prosecutor should avoid a conflict of interest with respect to his or her official duties.

...

(c) A prosecutor should not, except as law may otherwise expressly permit, participate in a matter in which he or she participated personally and substantially while in private practice or nongovernmental employment unless under applicable law no one is, or by lawful delegation may be, authorized to act in the prosecutor's stead in the matter.

(d) A prosecutor who has formerly represented a client in a matter in private practice should not thereafter use information obtained from that representation to the disadvantage of the former client unless the rules of attorney-client confidentiality do not apply or the information has become generally known.

...

(f) A prosecutor should not permit his or her professional judgment or obligations to be affected by his or her own political, financial, business, property, or personal interests.

http://www.americanbar.org/publicat..._archive/crimjust_standards_pfunc_blkold.html