(AP) A federal judge has granted a Nebraska prisoner’s request for an abortion and ordered state officials to transport her to a clinic so she can get the procedure, but the inmate will have to pay for the procedure herself and cover the state’s costs to transport and guard her.
Prison officials had previously rejected the woman’s request for an abortion, prompting her to file a civil rights lawsuit on Friday with with support from the American Civil Liberties Union of Nebraska.
ACLU of Nebraska Legal and Policy Counsel Scout Richters said the law is clear. “Our client received the time-sensitive care she needed and that is guaranteed by law,” Richters says. “Although this swift reversal won’t undo the harm caused by weeks of obstruction, I hope it prevents such a blatant violation of rights from ever happening again.”
U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Bataillon ordered prison officials to transport the inmate to a Planned Parenthood clinic in Lincoln for “informed consent” counseling on Monday, as required by state law, and back to the clinic on Tuesday to have the procedure done.
The lawsuit will be dismissed within the week as it’s no longer necessary to ensure care.