Federal Judge Blocks Alabama Abortion Law

 ========= Old Image Removed =========Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2019/05/Abortion_Protest_Sign-e1572403162716.jpg
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:1650;s:6:"height";i:926;s:4:"file";s:48:"2019/05/Abortion_Protest_Sign-e1572403162716.jpg";s:5:"sizes";a:13:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:48:"Abortion_Protest_Sign-e1572403162716-336x189.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:189;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:5:"large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:48:"Abortion_Protest_Sign-e1572403162716-771x433.jpg";s:5:"width";i:771;s:6:"height";i:433;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:48:"Abortion_Protest_Sign-e1572403162716-140x140.jpg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:12:"medium_large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:48:"Abortion_Protest_Sign-e1572403162716-768x431.jpg";s:5:"width";i:768;s:6:"height";i:431;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"1536x1536";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:49:"Abortion_Protest_Sign-e1572403162716-1536x862.jpg";s:5:"width";i:1536;s:6:"height";i:862;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:46:"Abortion_Protest_Sign-e1572403162716-80x80.jpg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:48:"Abortion_Protest_Sign-e1572403162716-600x338.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:338;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:48:"Abortion_Protest_Sign-e1572403162716-600x600.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:48:"Abortion_Protest_Sign-e1572403162716-554x311.jpg";s:5:"width";i:554;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:48:"Abortion_Protest_Sign-e1572403162716-470x265.jpg";s:5:"width";i:470;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:28:"ab-block-post-grid-landscape";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:48:"Abortion_Protest_Sign-e1572403162716-600x400.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:400;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:25:"ab-block-post-grid-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:48:"Abortion_Protest_Sign-e1572403162716-600x600.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:48:"Abortion_Protest_Sign-e1572403162716-125x125.jpg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}}s:10:"image_meta";a:12:{s:8:"aperture";s:1:"0";s:6:"credit";s:0:"";s:6:"camera";s:0:"";s:7:"caption";s:0:"";s:17:"created_timestamp";s:1:"0";s:9:"copyright";s:0:"";s:12:"focal_length";s:1:"0";s:3:"iso";s:1:"0";s:13:"shutter_speed";s:1:"0";s:5:"title";s:0:"";s:11:"orientation";s:1:"0";s:8:"keywords";a:0:{}}}
        )

    [_imagify_optimization_level] => Array
        (
            [0] => 0
        )

    [_media_credit] => Array
        (
            [0] => Andrew Yeager
        )

    [_navis_media_credit_org] => Array
        (
            [0] =>  WBHM
        )

    [_navis_media_can_distribute] => Array
        (
            [0] => 
        )

    [_imagify_data] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:2:{s:5:"sizes";a:10:{s:4:"full";a:4:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:13:"original_size";i:1629443;s:14:"optimized_size";i:484949;s:7:"percent";d:70.239999999999995;}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:13:"original_size";i:11744;s:14:"optimized_size";i:10722;s:7:"percent";d:8.6999999999999993;}s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:13:"original_size";i:34727;s:14:"optimized_size";i:31485;s:7:"percent";d:9.3399999999999999;}s:5:"large";a:4:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:13:"original_size";i:139207;s:14:"optimized_size";i:126964;s:7:"percent";d:8.7899999999999991;}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:13:"original_size";i:4487;s:14:"optimized_size";i:4069;s:7:"percent";d:9.3200000000000003;}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:4:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:13:"original_size";i:92508;s:14:"optimized_size";i:84340;s:7:"percent";d:8.8300000000000001;}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:4:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:13:"original_size";i:39719;s:14:"optimized_size";i:36403;s:7:"percent";d:8.3499999999999996;}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:4:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:13:"original_size";i:80885;s:14:"optimized_size";i:73711;s:7:"percent";d:8.8699999999999992;}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:13:"original_size";i:61822;s:14:"optimized_size";i:56210;s:7:"percent";d:9.0800000000000001;}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:13:"original_size";i:9695;s:14:"optimized_size";i:8844;s:7:"percent";d:8.7799999999999994;}}s:5:"stats";a:3:{s:13:"original_size";i:2104237;s:14:"optimized_size";i:917697;s:7:"percent";d:56.390000000000001;}}
        )

    [_imagify_status] => Array
        (
            [0] => success
        )

    [_wp_attachment_backup_sizes] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:1:{s:9:"full-orig";a:3:{s:5:"width";i:1920;s:6:"height";i:1078;s:4:"file";s:25:"Abortion_Protest_Sign.jpg";}}
        )

)
1655445284 
1572350221

A federal judge blocked Alabama’s strict abortion ban Tuesday, which was set to go into effect next month. U.S District Judge Myron Thompson issued a primary injunction Tuesday against the law, which would have made performing an abortion a felony in almost all cases. Abortion providers would face a sentence of up to 99 years in prison with no exception for rape or incest. The only exception is when there’s a serious health risk to the woman.

Alabama Governor Kay Ivey signed the law in May. Supporters of the law say it’s designed to challenge the 1973 Roe v. Wade U.S. Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion nationwide. The American Civil Liberties Union of Alabama, Planned Parenthood and others sued  in federal court arguing the near-total ban is unconstitutional.

“As expected, the court has blocked the law and it will not go into effect. Abortion remains legal in Alabama,” ACLU of Alabama Executive Director Randall Marshall said.

Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall echoed that the judge’s action was not a surprise.

“As we have stated before, the State’s objective is to advance our case to the U.S. Supreme Court where we intend to submit evidence that supports our argument that Roe and Casey were wrongly decided and that the Constitution does not prohibit states from protecting unborn children from abortion,” Marshall said in a statement issued Tuesday.

Ivey said in a statement she supports the attorney general. “This legislation passed with overwhelming support in the Alabama Legislature and was signed into law as a testament to Alabamians’ longstanding belief that every human life is sacred. We must continue doing all we can to protect life,” Ivey said.

Alabama’s law was one of several passed in states across the country this year that aimed to restrict abortion rights.

Updated 12:20 p.m. with statement from Gov. Ivey

 

Trump is leaving the G7 early to focus on the Middle East

Trump will leave Canada Monday night after having dinner with the G7 leaders, his press secretary Karoline Leavitt, said. He had originally been slated to leave Canada on Tuesday evening.

What does Juneteenth mean to you? We want to hear your story

NPR wants to know how you feel about celebrating Juneteenth at this moment in history

Supreme Court faces new headwinds with roughly two weeks left in the term

Some 20 cases remain to be decided—about a third of the total argued cases--many of them the most important of the term. But the shadow docket — with its own list of cases — looms over the other opinions.

Israel claims control of Iran’s skies, but Tehran is managing to hit back

Israel says it has largely knocked out Iran's air defenses. In contrast, Israel still has strong air defenses in place, though some Iranian missiles are breaking through with lethal results.

Trump Administration could impose a travel ban on dozens more countries

A State Department memo says dozens of countries have until Wednesday morning to come up with a plan to address some U.S. concerns, or face travel restrictions.

The darter fish and the data center

A newly identified species is already in danger of extinction. A proposed massive data center in Bessemer would “nuke” its habitat, scientists say.

More Abortion Ban Coverage