A preliminary hearing involving the pro-life videographer who published videos of abortion industry executives bartering for aborted baby body parts has been “suspended until further notice” by the California Supreme Court on the grounds of political bias and selective prosecution.
LiveActionNews.com is reporting on the dramatic news coming out of California’s high court involving the case of David Daleiden of the Center for Medical Progress and Sandra Merritt. The two are facing 15 fifteen felony counts for violation of California’s anti-eavesdropping laws and conspiracy related to their undercover investigation that caught abortion industry executives in the act of buying body parts from aborted babies.
The decision came late on the afternoon of Good Friday, just two days before Daleiden and Merritt were supposed to be attend a preliminary hearing where California Attorney General Xavier Becerra was to present the evidence against them and convince the court that the two should stand trial before a jury.
According to attorneys at the Thomas More Society, who are representing Daleiden, the justices will now be given the time to review the appeal which contains evidence that the charges against their client are politically biased and ought to be dismissed.
“Or, at least that the Attorney General should be recused from his role as prosecutor because of his political bias in favor of Planned Parenthood, which — among other facts cited by the defendants — sponsored and hosted Mr. Becerra’s election night victory party,” the Society told Live Action.
According to Tom Brejcha, president and chief counsel of Thomas More Society and one of the attorneys of record for David Daleiden in the criminal case, exonerating evidence favorable to Daleiden was withheld and barred from the criminal case as a result of rulings by San Francisco Federal Judge William Orrick, who also had connections to Planned Parenthood.
“These restrictions have put Mr. Daleiden and his entire legal team into a straitjacket, as we are forced to defend against these serious felony charges while denied access to key evidence that would acquit our client,” Brejcha said.
The stay will allow each of the seven Supreme Court justices to review these and other important issues surrounding the case.
“We are very grateful for this welcome development and hopeful that the California Supreme Court will decide to hear and decide the very critical issue raised in this appeal, namely, whether a prosecutor may exercise his or her powers to enforce the criminal laws selectively with a view toward helping his or her political sponsors and allies and against political opponents, or rather whether he or she should act even-handedly and apply the law fairly and with equal consideration for all, without bias or favoritism,” Brejcha said.
“Here, the earmarks of bias and discrimination are all too glaringly apparent, as Mr. Becerra — like his predecessor, Kamala Harris, now the Junior Senator from California — took office while proclaiming, ‘I stand with Planned Parenthood’,” he continued.
Calling Becerra’s case “an attack on undercover journalism” which is routinely used by news-gatherers, Brejcha wants justice for his client. “ . . .[B]ased on evidence of bias already adduced, the case should be dismissed,” he said.
Sandra Merritt’s attorneys at Liberty Counsel also released a statement applauding the decision.
“We are pleased that the California Supreme Court is considering a closer look at the well documented bias and illegal collusion between Attorney General Becerra and his Planned Parenthood financiers,” said Horatio Mihet, Vice President of Legal Affairs and Chief Litigation Counsel at Liberty Counsel.
“Sandra Merritt did not violate any law, and we are confident that the evidence will demonstrate that California’s first-ever prosecution of an undercover journalist for illegal recording is selective and discriminatory.”
Let us continue to pray for justice in this case, not only for the videographer, but also for the innocent babies who are being victimized a second time in the disrespectful treatment of their body parts.
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