Lauren Handy Sentenced
A pro-life activist has been sentenced to over four years in prison for her involvement in a protest at a well-known abortion facility in the nation's capital. Lauren Handy, 30, was given a 57-month prison term and three years of supervised release after being convicted on charges of violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act and conspiracy against rights. Handy was one of five pro-life advocates prosecuted by the Biden administration after they staged a sit-in at the Washington Surgi-Clinic in October 2020.
The protest involved singing, praying, and physically blocking entrances to the facility. Handy and her co-defendants used ropes and chains to attach themselves to doors inside the building in an effort to stop the abortions from taking place. The protesters stated that their goal was to be peaceful and nonviolent, and they saw their actions as a way to protect the lives of innocent preborn human beings.
Handy's legal representation, the Thomas More Society, has promised to appeal the sentence. Senior counsel Martin Cannon expressed disappointment in the lengthy prison term, stating that the protesters conspired to be peaceful and should be thanked for their efforts to protect the lives of the unborn. Handy's sentencing was handed down by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly, a Bill Clinton appointee.
The other four pro-life protesters, John Hinshaw, Heather Idoni, William Goodman, and Herb Geraghty, also faced charges and were set to be sentenced on the same day. In a statement to the court, Hinshaw expressed his regret for the failure of the justice system to protect the nation's unborn children. He also professed his guilt but maintained his innocence and took on the guilt of the judge, asking for her to accept his love as expiation for her guilt.
In March 2022, authorities were called to the home of Handy to recover the bodies of five premature aborted babies. The Progressive Anti-Abortion Uprising (PAAU) activists reported finding a box containing the bodies of the aborted babies on its way from the Washington Surgi-Clinic to a medical waste facility for incineration.
The PAAU activists promptly called the police and requested autopsies on the babies. After pressure from conservative legal groups, PAAU, and Republican lawmakers, the D.C. government delayed the scheduled cremation of the babies in order to determine more information about their deaths.
In a similar case, ten other pro-life activists are facing prison time for a protest at a Tennessee abortion facility. The Biden administration has added conspiracy against civil rights charges on top of the FACE Act charges in order to impose harsher penalties on the activists. These cases have brought increased attention to the ongoing debate surrounding abortion and the rights of the unborn, with activists on both sides of the issue speaking out.
The D.C. government's attempt to quickly cremate the bodies of the aborted children has raised questions and concerns among pro-life activists. They are pushing for answers about the circumstances surrounding the aborted children and the policies in place that allow for their disposal without proper investigation or dignity.
These cases highlight the strong emotions and deeply held beliefs on both sides of the abortion debate, making it an ongoing and contentious issue in American society. The outcome of these cases and future developments in the law will continue to be closely watched.