Abortion doctor signals she’ll sue Indiana AG over comments

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — An Indianapolis physician who carried out an abortion on a 10-year-old rape sufferer from Ohio took step one Tuesday towards suing Indiana’s legal professional normal for defamation.

Dr. Caitlin Bernard, an Indianapolis obstetrician-gynecologist who gave the woman a medication-induced abortion on June 30, filed a tort declare discover over what she says are false statements that Legal professional Normal Todd Rokita has made about her and her work.

Bernard obtained widespread consideration after she gave an interview to the Indianapolis Star concerning the baby, who traveled to Indiana from Ohio for the abortion. A so-called fetal heartbeat regulation took impact in Ohio final month after the Supreme Courtroom overturned Roe v. Wade. Such legal guidelines ban abortions from the time a fetus’ cardiac exercise may be detected, which is often across the sixth week of being pregnant.

A 27-year-old man was charged final week in Columbus, Ohio, with raping the woman, confirming the existence of a case that was initially met with skepticism by some information shops and Republican politicians.

Bernard’s lawyer, Kathleen DeLaney, filed the “tort declare discover” in opposition to Rokita simply days after she despatched a stop and desist letter. The declare begins a 90-day interval for the state to settle it. If it’s not settled, Bernard may file a lawsuit. The declare didn’t say how a lot cash Bernard is looking for, noting that “the hurt is ongoing.”

“Mr. Rokita’s false and deceptive statements about alleged misconduct by Dr. Bernard in her occupation represent defamation,” the declare reads. “The statements have been and proceed to be printed by or on behalf of Mr. Rokita and the Workplace of the Legal professional Normal.”

After the information of the 10-year-old’s abortion broke, Rokita advised Fox Information that he would examine whether or not Bernard violated baby abuse notification or abortion reporting legal guidelines. He additionally stated his workplace would look into whether or not something Bernard stated to the Indianapolis Star concerning the woman’s case violated federal medical privateness legal guidelines. Rokita provided no particular allegations of wrongdoing.

Data obtained by The Related Press and native information shops present that Bernard submitted her report concerning the woman’s abortion on July 2, which is inside Indiana’s required three-day reporting interval for an abortion carried out on a woman youthful than 16.

A spokesperson for Rokita stated Bernard’s declare is “baseless” and makes an attempt to “distract from the necessary work of the workplace.”

“Legal professional Normal Rokita and the Workplace of Legal professional Normal are leaders within the pro-life motion,” spokesperson Kelly Stevenson stated through e-mail. “His historic work has additional distinguished Indiana as a protector of unborn life and ladies.”

The Indiana Democratic Social gathering criticized Rokita for the influence the lawsuit would have on taxpayers.

“Hoosier taxpayers will now must pay for Legal professional Normal Todd Rokita’s nationwide smear marketing campaign in opposition to a health care provider who helped a 10-year-old rape survivor attain a authorized and secure abortion,” occasion spokesperson Drew Anderson wrote in an e-mail.

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Arleigh Rodgers is a corps member for the Related Press/Report for America Statehouse Information Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit nationwide service program that locations journalists in native newsrooms to report on undercovered points. Observe her on Twitter at https://twitter.com/arleighrodgers