A Jefferson County District Attorney has put his name on a joint letter, stating that he will not enforce the state’s abortion laws on the books.
Danny Carr, District Attorney (DA) for Jefferson County Birmingham Division, added his name to a letter from prosecutors nationwide, who all stated they would not be enforcing abortion laws in their districts after the recent overturning of Roe v. Wade.
The joint letter came from Fair and Just Prosecution (FJP), which describes itself as “a network of leaders committed to promoting a justice system grounded in fairness, equity, compassion, and fiscal responsibility.”
“Not all of us agree on a personal or moral level on the issue of abortion,” the letter read. “But we stand together in our firm belief that prosecutors have a responsibility to refrain from using limited criminal legal system resources to criminalize personal medical decisions. As such, we decline to use our offices’ resources to criminalize reproductive health decisions and commit to exercise our well-settled discretion and refrain from prosecuting those who seek, provide, or support abortions.”
Carr did not immediately respond to inquiries from 1819 News.
Current Alabama abortion laws have zero legal penalties for mothers who procure an abortion. However, it is a class A felony to perform an abortion in the state.
See also: Matt Clark: Jefferson County DA won't enforce state abortion law
There is currently one Planned Parenthood facility within Carr’s jurisdiction capable of performing abortions, although Planned Parenthood statewide ceased providing abortions in April.
“Enforcing abortion bans runs counter to the obligations and interests we are sworn to uphold,” the letter continued. “It will erode trust in the legal system, hinder our ability to hold perpetrators accountable, take resources away from the enforcement of serious crime, and inevitably lead to the retraumatization and criminalization of victims of sexual violence. Criminalizing abortion will not end abortion; it will simply end safe abortions, forcing the most vulnerable among us — as well as medical providers — to make impossible decisions."
The Alabama Center for Law and Liberty (ACLL) sent a letter to Attorney General (AG) Steve Marshall calling on him to direct and supervise the prosecution of anyone who breaks Alabama’s abortion laws because Carr is unwilling to prosecute.
The ACLL claims that current Alabama law gives Marshall the authority to prosecute anyone who breaks Alabama’s abortion laws in Jefferson Co. and appoint other DAs to assist in prosecution.
According to the ACLL, FJP is a “liberal nonprofit funded by George Soros.”
“Since a Planned Parenthood facility exists in Birmingham that had been providing abortion until at least March 5, it is possible that abortions could resume quickly unless law enforcement sends the message that physicians who violate the Alabama Human Life Protection Act will be prosecuted,” the letter from ACLL reads.
To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email craig.monger@1819news.com.
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