—Posted by Thomas More Society (September 1, 2010 at 9:57 am)
Yesterday, on Tuesday, August 31, 2010, a divided Illinois Supreme Court denied a request by attorneys from Chicago’s Thomas More Society to transfer to the high Court the consolidated appeals pending before the Illinois Appellate Court that are holding up the enforcement of the Illinois Parental Notice of Abortion Act of 1995. The high Court’s Order was unaccompanied by any opinion giving reasons for this refusal to hasten the progress of the appeals, but Justices Thomas and Kilbride dissented from the ruling.
“We’re obviously disappointed with this ruling,” said Tom Brejcha, president and chief counsel of the Thomas More Society, “but we remain committed to doing everything we can possibly do to bring these appeals to a speedy and positive conclusion.” He added, “The ACLU’s latest constitutional attack on this law was deemed legally meritless and tossed out of court by the Cook County trial court, and yet the Attorney General agreed—inexplicably and without any legal basis—that the enforcement of parental notice should still be stayed, that is, suspended pending the outcome of ACLU’s appeal.”
“Our clients, who are Illinois State’s Attorneys, were denied leave to intervene to argue against this indefinite stay of enforcement. So, we’re pressing our appeal to put the Parental Notice Law into effect, sooner rather than later. An overwhelming majority of Illinois citizens believe that parents should know when their minor daughters are being taken to abortion clinics, and this ongoing delay over baseless legal challenges is unconscionable.”
—Posted by Thomas More Society (August 26, 2010 at 10:39 am)
Check out this interview with TMS President and Chief Counsel Tom Brejcha that appeared on Focus on the Family’s Citizen Link program discussing the case of notorious abortionist Alberto Hodari in Michigan. Listen to the full interview here.
TMS is currently seeking disclosure of public records to find out why Hodari was not charged when human remains and confidential patient records were found in his dumpster. Read more on the case here.
—Posted by Thomas More Society (August 24, 2010 at 9:21 pm)
For Immediate Release
Lansing, Michigan—Yesterday, Thomas More Society attorneys filed a lawsuit to compel disclosure of public records that indicate why a doctor in Michigan was not punished for tossing aborted fetuses and patient records in the trash. Robert Fleming, local counsel for the Chicago-based Thomas More Society, filed the lawsuit on behalf of Monica Migliorino Miller, Ph.D. and Citizens for a Pro-Life Society (CPLS) in Ingham County Circuit Court.
Dr. Miller, president and director of CPLS, filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to learn the results of an investigation of Dr. Alberto Hodari and his abortion clinic, the Women Care Clinic in Lathrup Village, Mich. The investigation was brought on after CPLS found patient medical and financial records as well as the remains of aborted fetuses in trash containers outside the Women Care Clinic in 2008. Dr. Miller and CPLS then filed the complaint as well as evidence of their discovery with the Bureau of Health Professionals and the local police department. Dr. Miller’s and CPLS’ FOIA request was denied earlier this year when they were told only that there was insufficient evidence to “substantiate” their charges, without any explanation as to why or how their evidence was deemed deficient. [Continue reading ...]
—Posted by Thomas More Society (August 20, 2010 at 4:32 pm)
Today, Thomas More Society attorney Tom Brejcha, along with representatives from several pro-life organizations, testified at the Iowa Medical Board hearing to argue against the performance of “telemed” abortions in the state. The Thomas More Society submitted a letter from special counsel Paul Benjamin Linton that outlined the case against this type of abortion, in which a patient is administered an abortion-inducing drug, RU-486, after meeting with a physician remotely via video conference.
“Telemedicine abortions are a clear violation of Iowa law, as an abortion can only be performed by a physician, and the drugs used to induce abortion can only be administered in a physician’s office,” said Brejcha, president and chief counsel of the Thomas More Society, who appeared at the hearing at the request of several Iowa pro-life organizations and leaders. “We hope the Iowa Medical Board will properly honor the law of the state and public health will not be put at risk by allowing remote control abortions.”
Under current Iowa law, the performance of an abortion by anyone other than a physician is a Class “C” felony. Brejcha adds that “telemed abortions” flout the protocol for administration of the drugs approved by the FDA, Mifeprex and misoprostol.
The chairman of the Board, Dr. Siroos Shirazi, announced after hearing the arguments that the Board will take all comments into consideration and render a ruling, which could come at the Board’s October meeting.
—Posted by Thomas More Society (August 19, 2010 at 12:41 pm)
This morning, Thomas More Society attorneys delivered the justices of the Illinois Supreme Court a motion to immediately transfer the legal case pending against the Illinois Parental Notice of Abortion Act of 1995 from the Appellate Court to the Supreme Court. Arguing that pregnant minors at risk for abortion suffer harm every day that the Act is not enforced, the Society invoked the Supreme Court rule allowing transfer of an appeal when the “public interest requires prompt adjudication.” The pending appeal, brought by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), is currently in the Illinois Appellate Court, First District, where a decision is not expected for a year or more.
“More than fifteen years ago, with overwhelming bipartisan support, parental notice was supposedly made the law in Illinois, but as we sit here today, secret abortions on pregnant minors continue unabated,” said Peter Breen, Thomas More Society executive director and legal counsel. “With this motion to transfer, the Supreme Court has the opportunity to immediately and definitively decide the constitutionality of parental notice in Illinois.” (motion after the jump)
—Posted by Thomas More Society (August 18, 2010 at 4:50 pm)
The Thomas More Society won a big victory this morning in the case of Cheryl Kennedy, a veteran sidewalk counselor at one of the largest abortion facilities in Dallas, Texas. Cheryl was falsely accused of assault by a guard at the abortion facility where she counsels. The charges stemmed from an incident where Cheryl was speaking with a couple driving into the abortion facility, and as she attempted to hand literature to the willing couple through their car window, the guard for the clinic – a much larger man – attempted to slap the literature out of Cheryl’s hand. Their forearms brushed, and the guard called the Dallas police and swore out a complaint against Cheryl for assault.
Thomas Brejcha, TMS President & Chief Counsel, was in court this morning, along with ace defense attorney Patrick Mclain, who volunteered his services to defend Cheryl. “Thank you to Patrick Mclain for his selfless service to assist Cheryl Kennedy to get back on the sidewalk and save more babies,” said Brejcha. Mclain, a former federal prosecutor and former Marine Judge Advocate General officer, had recently contacted Thomas More Society seeking to assist in the pro-life law center’s work.
—Posted by Thomas More Society (August 13, 2010 at 4:20 pm)
This afternoon, the City of Chicago dismissed its case against the second arrestee charged with disorderly conduct under Chicago’s controversial “Bubble Zone” ordinance. Peter Breen of the Thomas More Society represented David Avignone, an MBA student at Loyola University Chicago, who was arrested on July 8 while standing outside Planned Parenthood’s Near North Side clinic.
“We are pleased that for the second time, the City of Chicago has dismissed the false charges of disorderly conduct against a man who was properly and legally exercising his First Amendment rights on the public way,” said Breen, executive director and legal counsel at the Thomas More Society. “We hope these two baseless cases involving alleged ‘Bubble Zone’ ‘infractions’ show the Chicago City Council why it should repeal this controversial ordinance altogether and cease efforts to scare pro-life people away from Planned Parenthood.”
The “Bubble Zone” ordinance applies outside local abortion clinics to prohibit approaching within eight feet of a person to present a leaflet, sign or oral message to that person. The Thomas More Society challenged the constitutionality of this ordinance, in agreement with the ACLU, in 2009.
Avignone’s case is the third “Bubble Zone” case, all of which have been dismissed. On August 3, the City of Chicago dismissed its case against Joe Holland, a Northwestern University graduate student arrested while praying the rosary outside the same Planned Parenthood clinic.
—Posted by Thomas More Society (August 13, 2010 at 12:21 pm)
Today, Thomas More Society attorney Peter Breen will once again be in a Cook County Circuit Court to enter a “not guilty” plea on behalf of a man arrested for standing on the sidewalk outside the Planned Parenthood abortion facility in Chicago. David Avignone is the second arrestee under Chicago’s controversial “Bubble Zone” ordinance, which applies outside an abortion clinic to prohibit approaching within eight feet of a person to present a leaflet, sign or oral message to that person. Avignone, an MBA student at Loyola University Chicago, was arrested on July 8 and has been charged with disorderly conduct.
“David did nothing wrong – he was exercising his First Amendment rights on a public sidewalk, and this arrest is another sad attempt at scaring pro-life people away from Planned Parenthood,” said Breen, executive director and legal counsel at the Thomas More Society. In 2009, Breen presented testimony on behalf of the Society that the “Bubble Zone” ordinance is unconstitutional during committee hearings.
On August 3, the City of Chicago dismissed the same charges against Joe Holland, a Northwestern University graduate student who was arrested as he prayed the rosary outside Planned Parenthood’s Near North Side facility. Video of the incident showed Holland standing outside the entrance to the facility and praying, not approaching any individual to leaflet, picket or engage in “sidewalk counseling.”
Breen commented, “David and Joe, arrested within a week of one another, were arrested even though they were both standing still, which is perfectly legal under the ordinance. We call on the City of Chicago to end this pattern of illegal arrests and repeal its ‘Bubble Zone’ ordinance.”
The court previously granted the Thomas More Society permission to serve subpoenas on Planned Parenthood for relevant security footage and on the City of Chicago for relevant “911″ call tapes. The responses to those subpoenas are due today in court.
—Posted by Thomas More Society (August 3, 2010 at 4:36 pm)
For Immediate Release
Chicago—This afternoon, in a wake of national interest in the case, the Thomas More Society secured a dismissal of all charges against the first arrestee under the city’s “bubble zone” ordinance, which prevents certain types of picketing activity outside local abortion clinics. Joseph Holland, a Northwestern University graduate student, was arrested outside Planned Parenthood’s Near North Side facility on July 3 after the facility’s staff called the police and claimed he violated the ordinance by praying on the public sidewalk.
“We are pleased that the City of Chicago has dismissed these false and baseless charges against Joe Holland,” said Peter Breen, Thomas More Society executive director and legal counsel. “The First Amendment protects prayer on a public sidewalk in Chicago the same as in any other city in the country. We hope that the city will cease the suppression of pro-life speech under the ‘bubble zone’ ordinance and dismiss the lone remaining case, brought against David Avignone, who was arrested a few days after Joe.” [Continue reading ...]
—Posted by Thomas More Society (August 3, 2010 at 1:42 pm)
Check out this great video of this morning’s interview on FOX & Friends with Thomas More Society Executive Director Peter Breen and Joe Holland, the grad student arrested for violating Chicago’s “Bubble Zone” ordinance.
Update: Fox news did a follow-up piece on this story that you can read here.
Peter and Joe were also on Moody Radio’s In the Market with Jane Parshall yesterday afternoon. You can hear that interview here. Just click the “Hour 1″ button to hear Peter and Joe’s segment.
Yesterday, on Tuesday, August 31, 2010, a divided Illinois Supreme Court denied a request by attorneys from Chicago’s Thomas More Society to transfer to the high Court the consolidated appeals pending before the Illinois Appellate Court that are holding up the enforcement of the Illinois Parental Notice of Abortion Act of 1995. The high Court’s Order was unaccompanied by any opinion giving reasons for this refusal to hasten the progress of the appeals, but Justices Thomas and Kilbride dissented from the ruling.
Check out this interview with TMS President and Chief Counsel 
For Immediate Release
Chicago—This afternoon, in a wake of national interest in the case, the Thomas More Society secured a dismissal of all charges against the first arrestee under the city’s “bubble zone” ordinance, which prevents certain types of picketing activity outside local abortion clinics. Joseph Holland, a Northwestern University graduate student, was arrested outside Planned Parenthood’s Near North Side facility on July 3 after the facility’s staff called the police and claimed he violated the ordinance by praying on the public sidewalk.