The lawyer representing the physician who carried out a authorized abortion on a 10-year-old Ohio lady mentioned the Indiana lawyer basic’s investigation into her shopper is “riddled with inaccuracies.”
Kathleen DeLaney, Dr. Caitlin Bernard’s lawyer, mentioned Legal professional Common Todd Rokita’s investigation depends on shopper studies from individuals who by no means acquired care from Bernard and even got here involved with the physician.
“Not one of the complaints got here from a ‘shopper’ who bought any items or companies from Dr. Bernard and even from an individual who has had direct communication with Dr. Bernard,” DeLaney mentioned in an announcement shared Thursday with HuffPost. “The complaints are riddled with inaccuracies and depend on no first-hand data.”
The ten-year-old lady traveled from Ohio to Indiana to bear the medical process after her state outlawed abortions, together with in instances involving incest and rape, following the Supreme Court docket determination overturning Roe v. Wade.
One criticism cited by the lawyer basic, DeLaney mentioned, lists Bernard’s telephone quantity as 555-555-5555. One other individual listed as a complainant has a “vital felony historical past,” she added.
“Sadly, Indiana Legal professional Common Todd Rokita continues to make use of his workplace to try to intimidate Dr. Caitlin Bernard,” the lawyer continued. “We urge Mr. Rokita to cease losing taxpayer cash and our time on his nonsensical marketing campaign in opposition to Dr. Bernard for doing her job as a doctor correctly and in accordance with the legislation.”
The lawyer basic’s workplace wouldn’t touch upon DeLaney’s allegations.
“We don’t talk about the small print of investigations,” Kelly Stevenson, Rokita’s secretary, advised HuffPost in an announcement.
Rokita introduced the investigation into Bernard throughout a Fox Information look on July 13, calling Bernard an “abortion activist appearing as a physician with a historical past of failing to report.”
“We’re gathering the proof as we converse, and we’re going to battle this to the top, together with taking a look at her licensure,” Rokita advised the conservative outlet. “If she did not report it in Indiana, it’s against the law for — to not report, to deliberately not report.”
Bernard, although, reported she carried out the medical process inside two days, effectively inside the three-day timeframe mandated by Indiana legislation for sufferers below 16 years previous. This was confirmed by The Indianapolis Star, which acquired a duplicate of the being pregnant termination report from the state Well being Division.
Final week, Bernard filed a declare discover notifying Rokita she intends to file a defamation lawsuit over the false assertion that she didn't report the abortion to state authorities.
“Mr. Rokita’s false and deceptive statements about alleged misconduct by Dr. Bernard in her occupation represent defamation per se,” her lawyer wrote within the submitting. “The statements have been and proceed to be printed by or on behalf of Mr. Rokita and the Workplace of the Legal professional Common.”
The physician additionally spoke out within the aftermath of the controversy, telling “CBS Night Information” she hopes the case will assist folks “notice the affect of those anti-abortion legal guidelines.”
“And now when it’s lastly grow to be unattainable for some folks, I believe folks notice that that's really not what they meant,” Bernard mentioned. “That isn't what they need for youngsters, for girls to be put in these conditions of life-threatening situations of traumatic pregnancies.”
Indiana’s state Senate on Thursday rejected a proposal to limit abortion additional by banning exceptions for rape and incest, based on The Related Press.
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