Court Orders Municipality To Pay Over $39,000 in Michigan Pro-Life Case

The Thomas More Law Center ^ | 12/03/02 | Thomas More Law Center

[That Subliminal Kid]

BREAKING NEWS

Tuesday, December 4, 2002

Court Orders Municipality To Pay Over $39,000 in Michigan Pro-Life Case

In a case that has drawn national attention, Detroit Federal District Judge Victoria A. Roberts has ordered that Plymouth Township, Michigan, pay monetary damages, attorneys? fees, and costs totaling $39,545.15 and has permanently enjoined the Township from interfering with the rights of pro-life demonstrators to display signs of aborted babies.

The case began this past July in Plymouth Township when pro-life advocates began to demonstrate against Michigan Attorney General and gubernatorial candidate, Jennifer Granholm, and her ?pro-choice? stance, on the public sidewalk in front of the church she attends.  The demonstrators displayed various signs, including signs that depicted images of aborted babies.  Plymouth Township Police Officers seized the aborted baby signs on the basis that they were tantamount to pornography.

The Thomas More Law Center quickly filed a lawsuit in federal court on behalf of three of the pro-life advocates who were prohibited from displaying the aborted baby signs.  The Law Center sought an emergency temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction against Plymouth Township officials.

Within 24 hours after the lawsuit was filed, Federal Judge Roberts held a hearing and granted the emergency temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction in favor of the three pro-life advocates, permitting them to display their aborted baby signs in public.  Judge Roberts also found that there was a strong likelihood that the Thomas More Law Center?s clients would prevail in showing that the police had violated their constitutional rights.  Based on Judge Roberts?s order, the pro-life advocates resumed their peaceful protest without interference from the Plymouth Township police.

This past week, Judge Roberts signed a consent judgment ruling that the First Amendment protects the display of aborted baby signs and that the Plymouth Township Police Officers violated the United States Constitution when they prevented the pro-life advocates from displaying the aborted baby signs in public and when they confiscated the signs without consent, a warrant, or probable cause.

As a result of the lawsuit, the three pro-life advocates received a total of $23,000 in monetary damages.

Thomas More Law Center attorneys Edward L. White III and Robert J. Muise handled the case on behalf of the pro-life advocates.

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[MHGinTN]

Well, actually, two human lives are at risk. The perspective has to do with 'compelling interest'. I won't argue it further with you. I believe a woman should have the right to support her own life by choosing to abort under such dire circumstances. I do not favor serial killing for convenience sake.

[Jael]

Ping

[MHGinTN]

I'll share this with you because of your compassion.

When my wife became pregnant while having a Dalcon Shield in her uterus, the likely outcome would have been her painful death. To remove the IUD required a D&C because it was imbedded in the wall of her uterus. The technology didn't exist to do micro-surgery then, but I wouldn't have chosen such even if it were, because my son could have lost his mother. You can make of that what you will, but I'm at peace with the issues. My son grew up to be a wonderful man and father in his own right because he had his wonderful mother throughout his formative years.

[Notwithstanding]

We don't support our own life by directly killing an innocent other. We can try to remove the child prematurely without TRYING to kill it directly.

The difference is that we can't knowingly kill innocent people directly. To do so is to deny them their human dignity and rights.

I am glad you are against wholesale slaughter for convenience sake, and that you realize that "life of the mother" is a different animal.

The principle at stake is our human dignity, however. If the dignity of some people is ignored or denied, then it is only a matter of time before such denial expands to other classes of people. I hope you can see the point I make even if you do not concede that point en toto.

[mombonn]

One of the differences between these guys and Judicial Watch is that these guys actually win cases.

Another difference is that they don't continually issue self-serving press releases.

</ larry klayman>

[Barnacle]

This is wonderful news. Could the tide be turning?

People have to be made aware what a horror the brutal murder of a baby is.

It’s too bad that German Jews didn’t have folks like this to tell their story in the early ‘40s.

[Bella_Bru]

I am pro-life so long as mom's life is not in danger. If mom's life is in danger, all bets are off.

[George from New England]

"You enjoy stealing money from the residents of this town, don't you?"

It was the thugs with the badges that gave away the citizens money by acting unconstitutionally.

[Notwithstanding]

1. Sad story - thanks for the candor.

2. Evidence that birth control is risky.

3. You have one more child in your family that no one has the privilege of knowing - hope you meet him/her some day.

4. Since the surgery was to remove the IUD, the direct intent was not to kill the child. The child's death was a likely but undesired side effect. (Just as removing the ectoptic tube is different than killing the child inside the tube and removing him/her so that the tube can be saved).

[MHGinTN]

One more thing: when we chose to use an IUD, I/we didn't realize that it is merely the earliest form of in situ abortifacient devices. I don't condone the use of IUD's either, now.

[k2blader]

Pro-Life bump!

[scripter]

Another pro-life bump!

[CindyDawg]

Do you think a woman with an ectopic should be told, "Screw your life! We are going to take a chance that at least the child makes it"?

The child is going to die. It can't survive. The woman will die too without sugery.

[Theodore R.]

So why did she deceive so many people in MI?

[tahiti]

"You enjoy stealing money from the residents of this town, don't you?"

If I was one of the plainiffs, I would make the financial hit even worse by suing each police officer involved in the incident.

Here is the basis for the suit and the reason I would win:

"Hafer v. Melo, 502 U.S. 21 (1991) — State officers may be held personally liable for damages based upon actions taken in their official capacities."

[Little Bill]

One of the problems of modern society is that people never see the results of their actions. Watch war movies, people grab a part of their bodies and fall dead on the beach.

The viewers miss the exposed bones and bowels, shredded flesh, small unidentified chunks of meat, Brains, and blood by the gallon, that is the reality of war. These signs are an introduction to reality, are you afraid of that?

[Salvation]

Free speech bump!

[HadEnough]

A couple of years ago, I was at a parade. The Planned Parenthood low-lifes were in the parade waving their murder slogans. As they passed by, both my wife and I stepped off the curb and shouted BABY MURDERERS at the top of our lungs.

Some big-butt bozo jumped up in my face and started slobbering about kicking my a** if I shouted it again. So I
shouted BABY KILLER even louder and you know what he did???

ABSOLUTELY NOTHING...The truth is hard to swallow isn't it?

[Notwithstanding]

Dittoes

see # 16