Six Pro-Lifers Found GUILTY of Blocking Abortion Doors, Face Decade in Prison
A Nashville jury has found six pro-life Christians guilty of both conspiracy and FACE charges for blocking access to an abortion clinic, resulting in the defendants each facing up to a maximum of 11 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $350,000.
In 1994, Bill Clinton signed FACE into effect, making it a crime to block abortuary access. In 2021, this group of six and four more participated in a sit-in/rescue at Carafem Health Center in Mount Juliet, Tennessee. They read from their bibles, sang hymns, and in some cases blocked access to some of the doors. When a police officer came to remove them, they peacefully complied and left.
The saints charged were Chet Gallagher, Paul Vaughn, Heather Idoni, Dennis Green, Cal Zastrow, and Coleman Boyd. The other four who also participated and have not gone to trial are Eva Edl, Eva Zastrow, James Zastrow, and Paul Place.
Another participant, Caroline Davis, pleaded guilty and turned against the others, becoming a witness for the DOJ in exchange for a lighter sentence.
While they face a decade in prison, their punishment and precise sentence are up to the discretion of the judge, who has so far been hostile in her dealings with the group. Steve Crampton, one of the attorneys from the Thomas More Society representing Paul Vaughn, said in a statement:
We are, of course, disappointed with the outcome, This was a peaceful demonstration by entirely peaceable citizens—filled with prayer, hymn-singing, and worship—oriented toward persuading expecting mothers not to abort their babies. Unfortunately, the Biden Department of Justice decided to characterize Paul Vaughn’s peaceful actions as a felony ‘conspiracy against rights,’ to intimidate and punish Paul and other pro-life people and people of faith.”
The group have been released until sentencing, July 2nd.
About Author
