NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A Tennessee jury has convicted six anti-abortion protesters of violating federal laws after they blocked the entrance of a reproductive clinic outside Nashville nearly three years ago.

The jury’s decision, handed down late Tuesday after a weeklong trial, marks the latest development in a case that has been closely watched by conservative groups, who have accused the federal government of unfairly targeting abortion opponents by using 1994 federal law designed to protect abortion clinics from obstruction and threats. Reproductive rights supporters counter the law, known as Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, or the FACE Act, is more critical than ever in shielding abortion providers from violence now that the constitutional right to abortion has been revoked.

  • @tartan
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    309 months ago

    “Activists”. pfff.

    • @kurwa
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      209 months ago

      Also “abortion clinic” as if all it did was that.

  • @Treczoks
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    249 months ago

    If they would only put those assholes behind bars. Because fines will be happily paid for by their supporters, thus having no detrimental or deterring effect on the perpetrators.

    • @[email protected]
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      109 months ago

      They face up 10 1/2 years of prison time and fines of up to $260,000. Sentencing hearings will take place July 2.

      We will find out in a few months.

      • @Serinus
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        69 months ago

        I’ll take one year and a felony record. That should be enough. (Overly harsh sentences people get for weed doesn’t matter here.)

    • @[email protected]
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      49 months ago

      I saw the 80+k donated to the defense fund of that asshole who vandalized the Satanic Temple’s monument and joked with a friend that we should go full-time on a biz grifting rightwingers. It’d be a great business. It’s happening all around us.

    • Suspiciousbrowsing
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      39 months ago

      They’re a felon now yes ? Does that mean no more right to voting ?I mean I disagree with that principal… but still. Not USA citizen btw.

  • @[email protected]
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    159 months ago

    President Bill Clinton signed the FACE Act into law in 1994 following a string of high-profile attacks against abortion clinics, which included Dr. David Gunn being shot and killed outside an abortion clinic in Pensacola, Florida in 1993 — marking the first abortion provider killed in the U.S.

    I remember this (or maybe a later murderer) lunatic’s mugshot on the cover of a magazine. Looked happy. Scared me. Still does.

    Fuck the right. They are terrorists, monsters, evil in the name of “christ”.

    • @ghostdoggtv
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      49 months ago

      At some point you’ve got to assume Christ is cool with it

      • @[email protected]
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        59 months ago

        Evangelical Christians not getting smote by pillars of fire are a good argument against a good and loving God, or even a greedy and jealous God.

        • FenrirIII
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          49 months ago

          Trump is the golden calf

        • @ghostdoggtv
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          29 months ago

          Then he’s not really all-powerful. That’s for a different thread though.

          • @[email protected]
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            19 months ago

            Counterpoint: I’m basically the god on my computer, but even I screw up so badly sometimes that it’s just easier to hit reset than track down exactly where shit went sideways and unfuck it.

          • @[email protected]
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            19 months ago

            I never thought that dictatorial assholes were powerful, contrary to what right wingnuts seem the think.

  • @Serinus
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    159 months ago

    conservative groups, who have accused the federal government of unfairly [enforcing a law exactly as it was designed].

    • norbert
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      49 months ago

      Say what you want about conservatives but they never learned to take an L and it shows.