Bishops' official praises ruling on Ohio's partial-birth abortion ban

Published: 2003-12-19

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- The U.S. bishops' pro-life spokeswoman hailed a Dec. 17 federal appeals court decision upholding Ohio's partial-birth abortion ban as "a stamp of approval" for the state's effort "to rein in this extreme and careless practice." "Partial-birth abortion is a uniquely intimate form of violence that has no place in a civilized society," said Cathy Cleaver Ruse, director of planning and information for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Secretariat for Pro-Life Activities. A three-judge panel of the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 2-1 to reverse a lower court's ruling against the law to ban partial-birth abortions. Last year, a U.S. District Court judge ruled that the partial-birth abortion ban was unconstitutional because it would not allow the procedure to be performed even when it was considered the safest option for a patient. Dr. Martin Haskell, who sued three years ago to challenge Ohio's law, plans to appeal the new ruling, but according to an Associated Press report he had not decided whether to ask the full appeals court to reconsider the case or ask the U.S. Supreme Court to review it.

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