Supreme Court Strikes Down Nebraska Partial Birth Abortion Ban

Ohio Right to Life Condemns U.S. Supreme Court Ruling Striking Down Nebraska Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Statute

The Ohio Right to Life Society condemns today's U.S. Supreme Court decision which struck down the Nebraska statute banning the partial-birth abortion procedure by a 5-4 vote.

"By striking down a statute that prevented killing children when they are partly born, the Supreme Court has shown its hostility to even the most reasonable and popular efforts to put some limits on the brutality of abortion," said Mark Lally, Legislative Counsel for Ohio Right to Life.

"This decision reflects the pro-abortion extremism of some Supreme Court judges and shows the need for judges who are more in line with the common sense and common decency of the American people. It certainly adds to the urgency of electing a pro-life President this fall," Lally said. Vice President Al Gore has opposed bills to ban partial-birth abortion; while Governor George W. Bush thinks partial-birth abortions should be banned.

The case is Stenberg v. Carhart.

For more information, contact Mark Lally at Ohio Right to Life.

U.S. SUPREME COURT SAYS ROE V. WADE EQUALS PARTIAL-BIRTH ABORTIONS

Partial-birth abortion is sure to remain a major issue this year. "Vice President Gore has opposed the bills to ban partial-birth abortion," said Dr. Franz, "In contrast, Governor George W. Bush believes partial-birth abortion should be banned."

As Justice Antonin Scalia accurately stated in a dissent today, "Today's decision, that the Constitution of the United States prevents the prohibition of a horrible mode of abortion, will be greeted by a firestorm of criticism -- as well it should."

As Justice Clarence Thomas explained in his dissent today, in a partial-birth abortion, "After dilating the cervix, the physician will grab the fetus by its feet and pull the fetal body out of the uterus into the vaginal cavity. At this stage of development, the head is the largest part of the body. ... the head will be held inside the uterus by the woman's cervix. While the fetus is stuck in this position, dangling partly out of the woman's body, and just a few inches from a completed birth, the physician uses an instrument such as a pair of scissors to tear or perforate the skull. The physician will then either crush the skull or will use a vacuum to remove the brain and other intracranial contents from the fetal skull, collapse the fetus' head, and pull the fetus from the uterus."

The National Right to Life Committee is the nation's largest pro-life group with affiliates in all fifty states and over 3,000 local chapters nationwide.

For more information, contact:

Laura Echevarria
(202) 626-8825
NRLCMedia@aol.com

Copyright 2000 by Ohio Right to Life and National Right to Life.
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