Nine people arrested for civil disobedience outside the Morgentaler abortion clinic in Nova Scotia last October hope their case will become pivotal in the abortion debate in this country.
Anne Marie Tomlins, one of the rescuers arrested, says the group faces charges of public mischief which could lead to six months in jail or a $2,000 fine. They declined to plead guilty to a lesser charge and decided to fight the charges arguing that the humanity of the unborn child made their actions necessary.
“We’re going to go all the way with this one,” vows Tomlins.
The defendants will argue that the absence of any law protecting unborn children justifies standing in front of an abortuary and getting arrested. They will argue that Canadians have a right to intervene to protect innocent human life.
Tomlins calls herself the “eternal optimist” and so she predicts the court case will be the “best chance we’ve ever had of accomplishing something.”
An Atlantic law firm, Miller and Associates, is handling the case for the pro-lifers and will use the time to prepare a defence for the unborn. Dr. David McCann, of Physicians for Life, will be part of the expert testimony attempting to prove to the courts that human life begins at conception.
Tomlins says the trial will be similar to that of Joe Borowski’s famous court challenge and will present expert testimony about facts like when brain waves first appear and when the heart starts beating.
“We need prayers but we need moral and financial support too,” she says.