A Texas prosecutor on Monday dropped charges against a young woman. The latter had been charged a few days earlier for having an abortion, sparking a national mobilization around her case.
Lizelle Herrera, 26, was arrested on April 7 for “knowingly causing the death of a person through her own abortion,” according to authorities. She was only released after posting $500,000 bail.
The law around abortion in question
“By examining the legislation in force in Texas, it is clear that Lizelle Herrera cannot and should not be prosecuted for the facts with which she is charged,” said Gocha Allen Ramirez. The prosecutor, however, believes that the police were right to arrest him “after a report from the hospital”, because “ignoring the facts would have been a breach of their duty”.
It is not clear whether the law passed in September 2021 in Texas prohibiting abortions after six weeks of pregnancy served as the basis for the indictment. This case testifies to the great sensitivity around abortion in the United States, while hundreds of legislative proposals – restrictive or protective – are sweeping through state parliaments.
An upcoming decision by the Supreme Court is indeed likely to upset the legal framework in force for nearly 50 years in the country. “We stand with Lizelle and all people in Texas seeking care, despite systemic barriers and obstacles,” said Planned Parenthood, which runs many abortion clinics in the country.
Source: 20minutes
