GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan – Kent County Attorney Chris Becker says he will impose a 1931 U.S. law criminalizing abortion providers, despite a court order.
In a statement Monday (June 27th), Becker said he would not “ignore” Michigan’s 1931 law, which states that it is a crime for a doctor to have a miscarriage unless it is necessary to save the woman’s life.
Under this law, a woman who has an abortion will not be criminalized.
His announcement comes as a number of other district attorneys in the state, including those in Kalamazoo and Washteno counties, say they will not enforce the law.
“I don’t think it’s right for me to just ignore any law that was passed by the Michigan legislature and signed by the governor,” Becker said in a statement. “In our system of government, the legislature passes a law, and the executive, including prosecutors, enforces those laws.
“I have always thought that it would be wrong for me to choose the laws I want to apply, which are validly adopted and signed. I will not start now. “
Becker acknowledged that there are ongoing lawsuits seeking to overturn the 1931 law, including one in the Michigan Claim Court, in which the court issued a preliminary injunction that temporarily made the law inapplicable pending a lawsuit.
Connected: Abortion is still legal in Michigan. It may not stay that way.
Becker said he expects solutions in these cases to guide his actions. And, he said, he will abide by any laws that the state legislature or voters pass later.
Meanwhile, the 1931 accounting law is valid, he said.
“At this point, however, there is a valid status that has been upheld by the Court of Appeals in the past, and I will not close my eyes and ignore it,” Becker said. “I think it would be wrong to do that.”
On Tuesday, June 28, Becker told MLive / The Grand Rapids Press that his office has not yet received any cases that would fall within the scope of the state abortion law. He was not available for further comment.
Becker told Bridge Magazine he would look into any abortion cases his office received for potential criminal charges.
The Michigan Abortion Act of 1931 came under intense scrutiny and began to provoke legal challenges in May, when a draft majority opinion from the US Supreme Court expired indicating that they would overturn Rowe against Wade.
On Friday, June 24, the US Supreme Court with a measure of 5-4 overturned Rowe against Wade.
Read more:
Whitmer asked the court for the expediency of the decision to ban abortions from 1931
Ferris State University is increasing tuition fees for the 2022-23 academic year
The life sciences company is planning a facility in the Muskegon area, 200 jobs and a $ 430 million investment
The judge did not have the power to bring charges in the Flint water crisis cases, the Michigan Supreme Court ruled
Add Comment