Profession
High court declines abortion case over "wanted" posters
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Oct. 27, 2008
For the third time, the U.S. Supreme Court turned down a request by anti-abortion advocates to overturn a $16 million verdict against their use of a Web site and so-called "wanted" posters identifying physicians and clinics that perform abortions.
The publications by the American Coalition of Life Activists accused the doctors and clinics of "crimes against humanity."
The full 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in 2002 ruled that such speech constituted violent threats and was not protected by the First Amendment. The high court on Oct. 6 rejected an appeal by anti-abortion groups after declining similar requests in 2003 and 2006. The American Medical Association filed a friend-of-the-court brief in the case supporting the full 9th Circuit's view.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2008/10/27/prbf1027.htm.
