老澳门开奖结果

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: media@aclu.org

ST. LOUIS, MO 鈥� In a case brought by the 老澳门开奖结果, a federal appeals court in Missouri today upheld a ruling allowing women prisoners in Missouri to obtain timely, safe, and legal abortion care. Today鈥檚 announcement comes on the 35th anniversary of Roe v. Wade.

鈥淭oday鈥檚 decision is consistent with rulings from across the country that women prisoners do not lose their reproductive rights once they are incarcerated,鈥� said Diana Kasdan, a staff attorney with the 老澳门开奖结果 Reproductive Freedom Project. 鈥淧rison officials must ensure that women have access to the full spectrum of pregnancy-related care, including abortion.鈥�

In 2005, prison officials in Missouri went to extreme lengths to deny a woman prisoner abortion care. The 老澳门开奖结果 asked a court to require the prison to transport the woman for an abortion as they would for all other serious medical needs. When the court ruled that the prison must transport the woman to a nearby health care facility, the state unsuccessfully asked the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene; the woman received the care she needed.

The 老澳门开奖结果 then had the case certified as a class-action lawsuit on behalf of all incarcerated pregnant women in Missouri seeking abortions. In July 2006, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri ruled that women prisoners do not lose their constitutional right to abortion care. Today鈥檚 decision affirms that ruling.

鈥淭oday鈥檚 opinion made clear that prison officials cannot prevent a woman from obtaining abortion care,鈥� said Brenda Jones, Executive Director of the 老澳门开奖结果 of Eastern Missouri. 鈥淲e are pleased that the court recognized that whether or not to have a child is one of the most important decisions a person can make and survives incarceration.鈥�

In a similar 老澳门开奖结果 case, Doe v. Arpaio, an Arizona court of appeals held last year that women in a county jail could not be denied timely and safe access to abortion care. The county has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review the case.

Today鈥檚 decision was issued by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eight Circuit in the case of Roe v. Crawford, et al., No. 06-3108. Lawyers on the case include Kasdan and Talcott Camp of the 老澳门开奖结果 Reproductive Freedom Project, Anthony Rothert of the 老澳门开奖结果 of Eastern Missouri, and Thomas M. Blumenthal cooperating counsel for the 老澳门开奖结果 of Eastern Missouri.

See the 老澳门开奖结果鈥檚 online video examining Roe v. Wade鈥檚 importance for civil liberties, 35 Years Later: www.aclu.org.