Missouri public defenders: Women to face abortion felonies

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Missouri public defenders say they expect some women to be charged with felonies for abortions under a new law.

The law is set to take effect Aug. 28 and makes it a felony to perform abortions at or after eight weeks of pregnancy with exceptions for medical emergencies.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that public defender Comptroller K. Kathleen Lear in a memo wrote that could mean women who receive medication abortions face felony charges.

Critics have argued the law will target women who go out of state for a medication abortion, then take the pill in Missouri. Republican lawmakers who drafted the bill disagree.

Read more: http://www.newstribune.com/news/missouri/story/2019/aug/16/missouri-public-defenders-women-face-abortion-felonies/791005/
(Jefferson City News Tribune)