Here are the highlights for October:
* On October 18, AFLC Co-Founder and Senior Counsel Robert Muise argued the appeals of two Red Rose Rescuers before the 6th Circuit Court of Oakland County, Michigan.
These rescuers, along with four others, were convicted of several misdemeanor offense as a result of a rescue they conducted at an abortion center in the City of Southfield, Michigan on April 23, 2022.
A jury trial was held in February 2023, and the six rescuers were found guilty of trespass and resisting/obstructing a police officer.
Four of the rescuers were found guilty of interfering with a business/disturbing the peace and two were found not guilty of this offense.
Prior to trial and after we filed a motion to dismiss the “loitering” charge on constitutional grounds, the City prosecutor dismissed that charge for all six of the rescuers.
Our appeals raise constitutional issues as well as the issue of whether the District Court erred by denying our requests for jury instructions on the defense of others and necessity.
* On October 19, we filed a motion to stay discovery on behalf of Marian Sheridan, a member of the Republican Party who was sued civilly for her involvement in the 2020 general election on behalf of President Trump. Sheridan is also a defendant in the criminal case filed by the Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel arising out of the same course of conduct.
Like the criminal case, this civil lawsuit is politically motivated. We intend to file a motion for summary disposition as the lawsuit against Sheridan and fifteen others is without merit.
* On October 25, Muise argued yet another appeal in the Oakland County Circuit Court for one of the six Red Rose Rescuers involved in the rescue held at the abortion center in the City of Southfield, Michigan.
* On October 30, we filed a full-throated response in opposition to the motion to dismiss filed by the New York Attorney General, Letitia James, who is seeking to dismiss the federal civil rights lawsuit we filed against her on behalf of two pro-lifers, Monica Miller and Suzanne Abdalla, who are associated with Red Rose Rescue.
Red Rose Rescue is a peaceful pro-life organization that seeks to protect women and unborn babies from the violence and harm of abortion.
The lawsuit alleges that the NY Attorney General is unlawfully targeting and defaming peaceful pro-lifers in violation of the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution and New York law.
During a press conference to announce the filing of a civil lawsuit against Red Rose Rescue and several pro-lifers, the NY Attorney General falsely labelled those who associate with Red Rose Rescue as “terrorists” and falsely claimed that Red Rose Rescue is a “terrorist group.”
* Throughout this month and, quite frankly, from the moment we took on this important case, we were fully engaged in various discovery disputes—filing responses and replies to motions—in the remarkable custody case involving “Baby Doe.”
In light of all that is going on in the Middle East and the resurgence, yet again, of jihadists, this case is becoming all that more important. You can read more about it here.
* As noted previously, we are also working on two major cases that will have significant impacts. One case will be filed in California and the other will be filed in Michigan very soon.
Thank you for your prayers and financial support. We couldn’t do what we do without them!