Christian Headlines Blog Christian Blog and Commentary

Get guidance on Bible study from C.S. Lewis - Free Course!

California Supreme Court Stands with Planned Parenthood, Attorney General Plans to Prosecute Undercover Journalist for 15 Felonies

  • Amanda Casanova

    Amanda Casanova is a writer living in Dallas, Texas. She has covered news for ChristianHeadlines.com since 2014. She has also contributed to The Houston Chronicle, U.S. News and World Report and…

    More
  • Updated May 21, 2019

The California Supreme Court is denying a petition that would have stopped criminal prosecution against the undercover journalist who released controversial videos on the abortion industry.

David Daleiden, the pro-life activist and journalist, filed a Petition for Review on April 25, asking the California Supreme Court to overturn a previous ruling from the Superior Court of San Francisco County.

This week, the California Supreme Court refused to hear the petition.

“This decision to deny David Daleiden's Petition for Review means that Xavier Becerra , as Planned Parenthood's prosecutor-in-chief, will be able to continue his unconstitutional harassment of David, bringing charges against him that don't pass the red face test,’” said Peter Breen, vice president and senior counsel at the Thomas More Society and part of Daleiden’s legal team.

Breen was referring to Xavier Becerra, the California attorney general who is pushing 15 counts of criminal felony for the videos.

"The right to privacy is a cornerstone of California's Constitution, and a right that is foundational in a free democratic society,” Becerra said. “We will not tolerate the criminal recording of confidential conversations."

In 2015, Daleiden’s pro-life group, the Center for Medical Progress, released undercover videos that showed abortion providers reportedly taking part and discussing the illegal sale of aborted baby parts.

Daleiden and pro-life activist Sandra Merritt were originally both charged with 15 felonies for the videos. The charges said the activists had violated California’s privacy laws. The videos were shot in public places, such as conferences and restaurants.

“The public knows the real criminals are Planned Parenthood and their business partners like StemExpress and DV Biologics — currently being prosecuted in California — who have harvested and sold aborted baby body parts for profit for years in direct violation of state and federal law,” Daleiden said in 2017.

Photo courtesy: Getty Images/Andrew Burton/Staff