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Thursday November 23, 2000


BUBBLE ZONE LAW RULED UNCONSTITUTIONAL IN MASSACHUSETTS

BOSTON, Nov 23 (LSN.ca) – On Monday U.S. District Judge Edward F. Harrington ruled that a recent Massachusetts state law creating a “buffer zone” around abortuaries is unconstitutional since it infringes free speech. The law which went into effect Nov. 10 forbade pro-lifers to come within six feet of patients without their consent when they are within 18 feet of an abortion centre’s entrance.

Pro-life lawyer Thomas M. Harvey argued that “Within the zone, workers at the clinic were free to persuade or cajole women in if they were having second thoughts. But people on the other side were not.” He said, “Under the law, a pro-life person couldn’t even ask them to listen or read a pamphlet, and that was not right.” In his ruling Judge Harrington wrote: “Pro-life advocates who firmly believe that abortion remains a grave moral evil must be given as equal an opportunity as their opponents to express … their sincere message of respect for the sanctity of innocent human life. . . The First Amendment requires no less.”

The state attorney general said he will appeal the decision.

See the AP coverage at:
https://boston.com/news/daily/20/buffer_zone.htm


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