Should Columbus DA prosecute abortion ban cases? Take our survey.
By Nick Wooten and
Mona Moore
Ilene Kent speaks to people gathered in downtown Columbus Thursday evening to protest the recent U.S. Supreme Court’s decision about abortion rights. 06/30/2022
Mike Haskey
mhaskey@ledger-enquirer.com
Under Georgia’s LIFE (Living Infants Fairness and Equality) Act, abortions are effectively banned once an embryo’s cardiac activity is detected, typically at six weeks. If the law passes, some Georgia district attorneys say they will not prosecute cases under the ban if it takes effect. District Attorney Stacey Jackson said he will await a decision before considering his stance.
The law includes exceptions for rape and incest if the pregnancy is fewer than 20 weeks along and a police report has been filed. An abortion can also be performed if a physician determines that a medical emergency exists or the pregnancy is “medically futile.”
Rio Rivera holds a sign for passing motorists to see while taking part in a Thursday evening protest in downtown Columbus, Georgia against the recent U.S. Supreme Court’s decision about abortion rights. 06/30/2022 Mike Haskey mhaskey@ledger-enquirer.com
Georgia’s abortion law also includes personhood language that gives embryos legal status.
Kemp signed the bill into law in 2019. But the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia ruled the law was unconstitutional in 2020, blocking it from taking effect.
The state appealed the ruling in 2021 to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals. The court postponed its decision until the Supreme Court’s decision on Dobbs v. Jackson Abortion Clinic over Mississippi’s abortion ban.
Members of Chattahoochee Valley United for Life, the Knights of Columbus, and East Alabama Right to Life hold a protest against abortion outside the federal court House on 12th Street Wednesday afternoon, the same day the United States Supreme Courts heard oral arguments in a case involving Mississippi’s law banning abortions after 15 weeks. 12/01/2021 Darrell Roaden Special to the Ledger-Enquirer
The SCOTUS decision has polarized the nation, and we want to hear from you. How do you feel about Georgia’s proposed abortion laws? Take our short survey below.
Nick Wooten is the Accountability/Investigative reporter for the Ledger-Enquirer where he is responsible for covering several topics, including Georgia politics. His work may also appear in the Macon Telegraph. Nick was given the Georgia Press Association’s 2021 Emerging Journalist award for his coverage of elections, COVID-19 and Columbus’ LGBTQ+ community. Before joining McClatchy, he worked for The (Shreveport La.) Times covering city government and investigations. He is a graduate of Mercer University in Macon, Georgia.
Mona Moore was a Service Journalism Desk Editor for the Sun Herald in Mississippi; Mahoning Matters in Ohio; and the Ledger-Enquirer and Telegraph in Georgia. Originally from West Covina, California, she holds a bachelor’s and master’s in corporate and public communication from the University of South Alabama. Mona’s writing and photography have been recognized by press associations in Mississippi, North Carolina and Florida.
