Madison, Dane Co. authorities will not arrest abortion providers

[luv2fly]

Madison, Dane Co. authorities will not arrest abortion providers, DA won’t prosecute post-Roe reversal

Sheriff says department doesn't have the time or resources to investigate 'medical procedures', will focus on violent crime

Updated: June 24, 2022 7:16 PM by Jaymes Langrehr, Will Kenneally

MADISON, Wis. — Madison police and the Dane County Sheriff’s Office will not be arresting or investigating those providing abortions and the Dane County district attorney says he will not prosecute those cases following the Supreme Court ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade and reverted Wisconsin back to a centuries-old state law that criminalizes the practice.

The 173-year-old law makes providing an abortion a felony, making no exceptions for cases of rape or incest. The penalty for performing abortions outlined in the law is up to six years in prison and a $10,000 fine, but increases to 15 years in prison and a $50,000 fine if the fetus is past sixteen weeks of development.

Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul reiterated Friday that he would not use state resources to help enforce the law. Local district attorneys would be able to prosecute providers under the law, but he discouraged them from doing so.

In an interview with News 3 Now, Kaul said he does not have direct authority to block the decision from impacting Wisconsin women and abortion providers but that he could file lawsuits seeking to have the state’s abortion ban blocked by Wisconsin courts.

More at:

https://www.channel3000.com/mayor-we-will-not-be-arresting-abortion-providers-in-madison/

[Irish_Dem]

1. Yes but this could change when someone else is in office.

Only a temporary security.

[Tetrachloride]

2. Madison's Planned Parenthood is on the frontage road of

a main thoroughfare.

This is likely a good thing. Otherwise, they would have moved.

A handful of protesters hung around outside the last time I lived in the region.

[AllyCat]

5. Those protestors are ALWAYS there. They must sign up for shifts or something.

Not by there very much, but it is right in front of the turn for the DMV.

[lapfog_1]

4. These posts about DA's and police not investigating or prosecuting

any "abortion related" medical procedures mean almost nothing.

1. Statutes of Limitations... the risk of prosecution lasts for as long as the statutes of limitations which could be years to decades or even no limitation. Anyone involved (patient, doctor, nurse, pharmacist, and the Uber driver or family member) will be at risk.

2. No doctor will participate in illegal activity. Even without legal prosecution, an allegation made to the licensing authority might well result in the loss of medical license, ability to practice any medicine, and possibly fines.

3. A local DA might decide not the prosecute. However nothing prevents a right wing State Attorney General (or equivalent), eager to prove what a Christofascist they really are, from taking the allegations away from the local DA and filing the charges themselves.

In the end, abortion procedures (even to the point of proscribing pills to end the pregnancy... or even some forms of birth control) will come to an end in the anti-abortion states. They will move right back to the "back alley" procedures that existed before Roe. Performed by illegal doctors in unsanitary conditions and if something goes wrong, don't count on being rushed to a hospital to save your life.

No medical personnel will take the risk. No hospital will allow procedures to take place. No clinics will be openly allowed to operate. We are back to 1960s pre Roe v. Wade. For those "in trouble" and who have means, a "vacation" to a state or country that allows for the procedure will be the only option... and for those without means...

[AllyCat]

6. You are right. No doc is going to take that risk (I work with some of them)

However, this does stop some of the "I'm gonna turn 'em in for some kinda reward" idiots (even though there is no provision for that...yet).

It is a waste of resources for a government that is hobbled by our GQP Leg that won't release any of our BILLIONS is surplus right now for anything meaningful.

If Kaul files for any of the things he says he could, I believe it would help his re-election campaign.