Genevieve and Victor Paterson never imagined becoming embroiled in local controversy, being plaintiffs in a lawsuit, or watching their teenage daughter tearfully take the witness stand in a criminal trial. But they feel these actions are necessary to put an end to an abortion clinic that took their grandchild and ignored the law...all for a $435 fee.
The Patersons are strong Christians and active members in their Atlanta, Georgia, church. Their daughter, Renee, was active in the church as well and dating a boy she met in the youth group. The day her parents found out she’d had an abortion was one of deep emotion: grief over the death of their grandchild and anger that a “medical facility” in their hometown ignored a law in place to protect their child. Now, their daughter admits – had the law been followed and her parents notified – her baby would be alive today.
A Choice Never ImaginedThe victim, Renee, was conflicted and burdened facing the consequences of her decisions. She discovered her pregnancy two-weeks before her abortion. Quietly, she and her boyfriend discussed two options: adoption and keeping the child. Abortion was never mentioned. The boyfriend’s mother, Cindy Cook, learned of the pregnancy while snooping through her son’s email. She continually pressured the teenage couple to get an abortion, telling Renee a baby would ruin her son’s opportunity to go to college.
Renee later testified in court that Cook searched the Internet, specifically looking for an abortion clinic that would ignore Georgia’s Parental Notification Law. On the Northside Women’s Clinic Web site, she found outdated rules about abortions for underage girls. The site said all they would need was a note of consent from the girl’s parents. That was true prior to 2005. However, the clinic’s Web site was outdated, by years! Two years before Renee’s abortion, the laws in Georgia changed. In fact, now, some three-plus years after that change in law, the clinic’s Web site remains outdated. Current Georgia law requires abortion clinic employees to verify those notes, look at photo identification, make phone calls, and actively search to confirm the girl’s parents are aware, and approve, of the abortion.
With forged note in hand, Renee’s boyfriend took her to Northside. Cook had given them the $435 needed for the “procedure.” No one at the clinic asked for ID or sought to confirm if Renee’s parents were aware of what she was about to go through. Renee was terrified, she testified, saying she only agreed to visit the abortion clinic to appease Cook. She thought a nurse would ask if this is what she wanted, giving her an option out. That never happened. Instead, she was given anesthesia and woke up to immediate, and profound, regret. Those emotions stay with her to this day.
Whose “Right?”Proponents of a culture of death mask their true agenda with the guise of a “woman’s right to choose.” In this case, a
girl, not a woman, was not given that choice – nor was she protected by a law intended to shield her from having to make such a difficult choice on her own. Renee’s parents should have been by her side instead of a virtual stranger bent on her own selfish agenda. The abortion clinic blatantly ignored laws it is required to follow, allowing this girl to suffer severe emotional trauma that has continued for months. Unfortunately, Renee will not be the last pregnant teen to suffer. Over and over again, pro-abortion advocates oppose parental notification and consent laws with unashamed fervor. Look at these examples:
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In South Dakota, Planned Parenthood sued after the state passed an informed consent abortion law. The law requires abortionists to inform women about the nature of abortion and the risks involved before they elect to terminate their pre-born child’s life. On appeal, the case went to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit, where the law was upheld. An ADF-allied attorney represented a group of crisis pregnancy centers who successfully intervened, and ADF filed a friend-of-the-court brief. |
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A parental notification measure slated to be on the California ballot this November is being targeted by Planned Parenthood. “Sarah’s Law” would require that a physician notify a parent (or, in the case of an abusive parent, an adult family member) at least 48 hours before performing an abortion on a minor girl under the age of 18. The measure is named for a 15-year-old girl who died after suffering complications from an abortion her parents were not aware of. Life News reports that “the San Jose-based affiliate of Planned Parenthood recently contributed $700,000 to the campaign to defeat parental notification [Sarah’s Law].” |
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Carrying a hidden camera, college student Lila Rose feigned pregnancy and went into a Planned Parenthood clinic to request an abortion. She claimed she was 15 and the victim of statutory rape by her 23-year-old boyfriend. The nurse told her to lie about her age and keep the rape a secret. When the video was posted online, instead of disciplining the nurse, Planned Parenthood rushed a letter to Rose threatening a lawsuit. |
The battle continues. Planned Parenthood and other clinics that profit from the killings of innocent children will not stop fighting for wider access to abortion. But ADF is defending the sanctity of life, and with your help, we will prevail.
The Rest of the StoryWith ADF-allied attorneys Jonathan Crumly and Fenn Little (pictured below) by their side, the
Patersons and Renee are preparing to file a lawsuit. Their hope is that the suit results in the end of a slaughter, and the Northside Women’s Clinic will be forced to shut its doors forever. The fact that Cindy Cook was found guilty on two charges, interfering with custody and violating Georgia’s parental notification law, and is currently serving her sentence of a year in prison should help their case. The abortion, understandably, changed Renee’s life forever; she was unable to finish high school due to her emotional distress and continues to undergo therapy. The family sees the criminal and civil cases as part of their healing process. Ensuring this evil never happens to another family is their goal.
The Bigger PictureThis case is a great example of how ADF is uniquely equipped to fight for such cases: through strategy, training, and funding:
- This case fits perfectly into our overall strategy to fight for the sanctity of all human life from conception to natural death. If we win this case, and more like it, we could eventually put the abortion industry out of business.
- Little and Crumly are equipped with exactly what they need to step into this battle. Both of the Atlanta-based attorneys attended free training at the ADF National Litigation Academy, thanks to generous gifts from friends like you. They are donating their time to fight this case as part of their 450 pro bono hour’s commitment back to ADF for that training.
- Similar financial gifts allowed ADF to provide grant funding to Little and Crumly’s firm. The grant will help pay costs associated with the lawsuit, including filing fees, expert witness expenses, depositions, etc. This money ensures they have the resources they need to successfully argue this case.
Please prayerfully consider giving to ADF to help us continue our mission to protect the sanctity of life from conception to natural death. Our strategy is already winning sanctity-of-life cases in courtrooms across America:
- ADF-allied attorneys successfully represented two pharmacy owners in Montana and Washington who refused to dispense the abortion-inducing drug RU-486. (ADF won the Washington case in lower court rulings, but it is currently under appeal at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit.)
- U.S. Coast Guard officials who initially refused to excuse an officer from being injected with a vaccine derived from an aborted child relented in the wake of a lawsuit filed on behalf of the officer by ADF attorneys. The U.S. Coast Guard had refused to grant an exemption for Officer Joseph J. Healy, who is Catholic, even though it allows exemptions based on other religious beliefs.
- In Florida, Alaska, and Arizona, ADF and ADF-allied attorneys successfully persuaded the courts to keep three people from being removed from life-support:
- In Alaska, a hospital wanted a woman cut off from life-support, saying that keeping her alive violated its “ethical” standards.
- In Florida, a stroke victim’s husband wanted her feeding tube removed despite the fact she is alert and made it clear she does not want to die.
- In Arizona, Jesse Ramirez’ food and water was withheld after he was in an automobile accident. After ADF lawyers successfully argued the tubes be put back in place, he recovered. Today, Jesse is at home, walking and talking.
To continue to win, we must be prepared and have the resources on hand to make a stand in the courtroom. Your gift today will help us continue to fight for the Paterson family and continue to take a stand against those who are more interested in a $435 fee than a precious child and grandchild.
Click here to make your online gift today. Recent Cases Involving the Sanctity of Life Court rules to preserve life of Calif. woman deprived of food, water8th Circuit: S.D. can enforce women’s “right to know” abortion lawADF commends signing of “Jesse’s Law”Alaska Supreme Court issues order to keep patient aliveFlorida man fails to have wife’s feeding tube removed Coast Guard relents, allows officer to refuse vaccine from aborted baby Judge rules Planned Parenthood clinics dispensing RU-486 must follow lawGet Involved
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