Lawsuit Filed Challenging Alabama’s Abortion Law

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

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:1920;s:6:"height";i:1080;s:4:"file";s:33:"2019/05/Abortion_Rights_March.jpg";s:5:"sizes";a:13:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:33:"Abortion_Rights_March-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:33:"Abortion_Rights_March-771x434.jpg";s:5:"width";i:771;s:6:"height";i:434;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:33:"Abortion_Rights_March-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:33:"Abortion_Rights_March-768x432.jpg";s:5:"width";i:768;s:6:"height";i:432;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"1536x1536";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:34:"Abortion_Rights_March-1536x864.jpg";s:5:"width";i:1536;s:6:"height";i:864;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:31:"Abortion_Rights_March-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:33:"Abortion_Rights_March-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:33:"Abortion_Rights_March-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:33:"Abortion_Rights_March-553x311.jpg";s:5:"width";i:553;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:33:"Abortion_Rights_March-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:33:"Abortion_Rights_March-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:33:"Abortion_Rights_March-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:33:"Abortion_Rights_March-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
        )

    [_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:2546349;s:14:"optimized_size";i:591473;s:7:"percent";d:76.769999999999996;}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:13:"original_size";i:10800;s:14:"optimized_size";i:9810;s:7:"percent";d:9.1699999999999999;}s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:13:"original_size";i:29237;s:14:"optimized_size";i:26771;s:7:"percent";d:8.4299999999999997;}s:5:"large";a:4:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:13:"original_size";i:132129;s:14:"optimized_size";i:122630;s:7:"percent";d:7.1900000000000004;}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:13:"original_size";i:4102;s:14:"optimized_size";i:3716;s:7:"percent";d:9.4100000000000001;}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:4:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:13:"original_size";i:84075;s:14:"optimized_size";i:77581;s:7:"percent";d:7.7199999999999998;}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:4:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:13:"original_size";i:40946;s:14:"optimized_size";i:37612;s:7:"percent";d:8.1400000000000006;}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:4:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:13:"original_size";i:72358;s:14:"optimized_size";i:66640;s:7:"percent";d:7.9000000000000004;}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:13:"original_size";i:53891;s:14:"optimized_size";i:49520;s:7:"percent";d:8.1099999999999994;}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:13:"original_size";i:8902;s:14:"optimized_size";i:8071;s:7:"percent";d:9.3300000000000001;}}s:5:"stats";a:3:{s:13:"original_size";i:2982789;s:14:"optimized_size";i:993824;s:7:"percent";d:66.680000000000007;}}
        )

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

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

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

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

)
1654905465 
1558693487

The American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Alabama, and Planned Parenthood filed a federal lawsuit Friday seeking to block Alabama’s strict new abortion law.

“We are proud to take this fight to the state,” says Staci Fox, president of Planned Parenthood Southeast. “They asked for it, and we promised it, and today we delivered.”

Alabama’s law, which was signed by Governor Kay Ivey last week, makes it a felony to perform an abortion at any stage of pregnancy with the only exception for a serious health risk to the woman. There’s no exception for rape or incest. A doctor convicted under the law could face up to 99 years in prison.

The lawsuit says the near ban is unconstitutional and would harm women.

“We hope our state’s elected leaders take note and stop using taxpayer dollars on a legal gamble that they know is unconstitutional and unenforceable,” says Randall Marshall, executive director of the ACLU of Alabama.

A spokesman for Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall says Marshall is reviewing the lawsuit and has no further comment.

Supporters of the law say it’s designed to challenge the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion nationwide. They also say they expect to lose at the lower court level. Their hope is that the addition of two conservative justices on the U.S. Supreme Court, Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, will mean the high court rules in their favor.

Alabama’s law is part of a wave of state laws that restrict the procedure. Recently approved laws in Georgia, Mississippi, Kentucky and Ohio ban abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected. None of the laws have taken effect and all are expected to be blocked by the courts as the legal challenges play out with an ultimate eye on the Supreme Court.

This story includes reporting from the Associated Press.

Updated 11:30 a.m. to include comment from Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall’s office

 

Looking into Alabama’s ‘Blood Money’: how taxpayers foot the bill for lawsuits by prisoners

The Alabama Department of Corrections settled more than 100 lawsuits against its corrections officers for excessive use of force since 2020. Inmates say officers left them with broken bones and brain damage. Beth Shelburne, a Birmingham-based independent investigative reporter, found that taxpayers are covering the cost in her four-part series for the Alabama Reflector called "Blood Money."

TikTok superstar Khaby Lame was detained by ICE before being allowed to leave the U.S.

Lame, 25, produces nearly silent videos that have made him the most-followed personality on TikTok. But U.S. officials say Lame, an Italian citizen, overstayed his visa earlier this month.

After ICE raids in LA, families of those detained are desperate for answers

Families of people who were detained by ICE in immigration raids say they haven't been able to make contact with their loved ones or even find out where many of them are being held.

Bolsonaro takes the stand in historic Brazil coup trial

Brazil's former President Jair Bolsonaro took the stand Tuesday, accused of plotting a coup to cling to power after losing the 2022 election. It's the first time a former Brazilian leader is being tried for attempting to overthrow the government.

How a forgotten tape recorder led to Tunde Adebimpe’s debut album

The TV on the Radio cofounder talks about making Thee Black Boltz.

A dad accused of killing his 3 young daughters is on the run. Here’s what to know

Travis Decker is accused of suffocating his daughters during a recent camping trip in Washington. Authorities say the Army veteran is "well versed in wilderness survival" and considered dangerous.

More Abortion Ban Coverage