Planned Parenthood of Columbia/Willamette, Inc. v. American Coalition of Life Activists

41 F. Supp. 2d 1130, 1999 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 4332, 1999 WL 181597
CourtDistrict Court, D. Oregon
DecidedMarch 16, 1999
DocketCiv. 95-1671-JO
StatusPublished
Cited by15 cases

This text of 41 F. Supp. 2d 1130 (Planned Parenthood of Columbia/Willamette, Inc. v. American Coalition of Life Activists) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Oregon primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Planned Parenthood of Columbia/Willamette, Inc. v. American Coalition of Life Activists, 41 F. Supp. 2d 1130, 1999 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 4332, 1999 WL 181597 (D. Or. 1999).

Opinion

AMENDED ORDER AND PERMANENT INJUNCTION

ROBERT E. JONES, District Judge.

Plaintiffs, Dr. Robert Crist, Dr. Warren Hern, Dr. Elizabeth Newhall, Dr. James Newhall, Planned Parenthood of the Columbia/Willamette, Inc. and Portland Feminist Women’s Health Center, doing business as All Women’s Health Services (collectively “plaintiffs”), commenced this action seeking a permanent injunction, damages and other relief. The trial before the jury having been concluded, and the jury having found that defendants did issue true threats against plaintiffs, and this Court having found that plaintiffs are without an adequate remedy at law, the Court makes the following findings of fact and conclusions of law:

FINDINGS OF FACT

I.The Threats

A. The “Deadly Dozen” Poster

1. The Deadly Dozen poster, trial exhibit 1, is a true threat to bodily harm, assault, or kill one or more of the plaintiffs.

2. The Deadly Dozen poster was created by the American Coalition of Life Activists (“ACLA”) and first published in or around Washington, D.C. on January 22, 1995. (Ex. 1; Tr. 1352,1385)

3. Defendants Michael Bray, Andrew Burnett, David Crane, Michael Dodds, Joseph Foreman, C. Roy McMillan, Bruce Murch, Catherine Ramey, Dawn Stover, *1132 Donald Treshman and Charles Wysong attended the ACLA event where the Deadly Dozen poster was unveiled. (Answer of defendants American Coalition of Life Activists, Advocates for Life Ministries, Michael Bray, Andrew Burnett, David Crane, Timothy Dreste, C. Roy McMillan, Bruce Murch, Catherine Ramey, Dawn Stover and Charles Wysong (“ACLA Answer”) ¶ 40; Tr. 1254, 1356, 1493-94) Defendant Dreste ratified the poster’s release. (Tr. 1170, 2486) Defendant Advocates for Life Ministries (“ALM”) republished the poster in its magazine Life Advocate. (Ex. 3) Defendant Murch republished the poster in his publication, Salt & Light. (Ex. 2) Defendants also republished the poster at later ACLA events.

4. The Deadly Dozen poster was unveiled at the event in blown-up form. (Tr. 1357)

5. The Deadly Dozen poster lists thirteen physicians. Three of the plaintiffs are specifically named with their place of residence: Dr. Elizabeth Newhall, Dr. James Newhall and Dr. Warren Hern. (ACLA Answer ¶ 41; Ex. 1; Tr. 1254-55)

6. In addition to their names and the city in which they reside, the Deadly Dozen poster lists the home address of Drs. James and Elizabeth Newhall. (ACLA Answer ¶ 41; Ex. 1; Tr. 1254-55)

7. The Deadly Dozen poster lists the name and home address of Dr. George Kabacy, a doctor who at the time provided abortions at plaintiff, Planned Parenthood of the Columbia/Willamette, Inc. (“Planned Parenthood”). (Ex. 1; Tr. 477)

8. Also listed on the Deadly Dozen poster is Dr. Joseph Booker of Jackson, Mississippi, who had been a target of ACLA protests during ACLA’s first event in Jackson, Mississippi, in August 1994. (Ex. 1, Tr. 970-71)

9. Also listed on the Deadly Dozen poster is the name and address of Dr. George Tiller of Kansas. Dr. Tiller was shot in both arms in August 1993 by Shelley Shannon of Grants Pass, Oregon. Shannon had been to Wichita before, and had protested Dr. Tiller, along with defendants Andrew Burnett and Catherine Ra-mey. (Ex. 51) At the time Shannon shot Dr. Tiller, she had in her possession copies of Life Advocate magazine (published by defendant ALM) with information about Dr. Tiller. (Tr. 1080) Among those who signed a petition supporting the acquittal of Shannon were defendants ALM, Bray, Burnett, Dodds and McMillan. (Ex. 52; Tr. 1491) Defendant Dawn Stover publicly supported Shannon on national television. (Tr. 2456) In. his October 1993 editorial for Life Advocate, defendant Burnett stated “Shelley was a courageous women [sic] that we were very proud to be associated with.” (Ex. 51)

10. The day after the Deadly Dozen poster was released, the Federal Bureau of Investigation contacted the doctors named on the list, notified them of their need to take safety measures and offered 24-hour personal protection of the U.S. Marshal Service for the doctors and their families. (Tr. 568-69) Calls from the U.S. Marshals and other law enforcement followed. (Tr. 236, 624) Plaintiffs heeded these warnings.

B. The Poster of Dr. Robert Crist

11. The Poster of Dr. Robert Crist, trial exhibit 5, is a true threat to bodily harm, assault or kill one or more of the plaintiffs.

12. The Poster of Dr. Robert Crist displays a photograph of Dr. Crist, and his home and business addresses. (ACLA Answer ¶ 48b; Ex. 5; Tr. 1257)

13. The Poster of Dr. Crist was created and first published by ACLA during its event in St. Louis, Missouri in August 1995. (ACLA Answer ¶ 48b; Ex. 5; Tr. 608, 899,1257)

14. Defendants Andrew Burnett, David Crane, Timothy Dreste, C. Roy McMillan, Catherine Ramey, Dawn Stover and Charles Wysong attended the ACLA event where the Poster of Dr. Crist was unveiled. The other defendants assisted in planning the event and the poster and/or *1133 ratified its release. (ACLA Answer ¶ 47c; Tr. 1228,1257,1494-95)

15. Immediately after the poster was released, Dr. Crist was informed by the St. Louis police that he should take additional security precautions. (Tr. 1104) Dr. Crist followed that advice. (Tr. 1110)

C. The Nuremberg Files

16. The “Nuremberg Files,” trial exhibits 7 and 9, are a true threat to bodily harm, assault or kill one or more of the plaintiffs.

17. The Nuremberg Files list the names and contain personal information on abortion providers, clinic employees and clinic owners, law enforcement officials involved in securing access to abortion services, judges, politicians, and abortion rights supporters. (Ex. 7, Tr. 2283)

18. Dr. Robert Crist appears in the Nuremberg Files. (Exs. 7A, 7B, 7C; Tr. 1116-17)

19. Dr. Warren Hern appears in the Nuremberg Files. (Exs.7A, 7B, 7C) A photograph of Dr. Warren Hern appears in the Nuremberg Files along with the address and telephone numbers of his medical offices. (Exs. 7A, 7E; Tr. 2296)

20. Dr. Elizabeth Newhall appears in the Nuremberg Files. (Exs. 7A, 7B, 7C; Tr. 286)

21. Dr. James Newhall appears in the Nuremberg Files. (Exs.7A, 7B, 7C)

22. At one time, defendants possessed a hard copy version of the Nuremberg Files, including one of Dr. James Newhall. (Ex. 9) These files have since been destroyed by defendants and/or their agents during the course of this lawsuit and were therefore not produced to plaintiffs.

23. The names of several doctors and employees of plaintiff Planned Parenthood appear in the Nuremberg Files: Dr. George Kabacy (also named on the Deadly Dozen poster), Dr. Mark Nichols (Planned Parenthood’s medical director), Dr. Gary Prohaska (a former chair of Planned Parenthood’s medical committee), and Allie Stickney (Planned Parenthood’s former executive director). (Exs. 7A, 7B, 7C; Tr. 529)

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Related

State v. Carroll
196 A.3d 106 (New Jersey Superior Court App Division, 2018)
Planned Parenthood of the Columbia/willamette Inc. Portland Feminist Women's Health Center Robert Crist, M.D. Warren M. Hern, m.d.elizabeth Newhall, M.D. James Newhall, M.D., and Karen Sweigert, M.D. v. American Coalition of Life Activists Advocates for Life Ministries Michael Bray Andrew Burnett David A. Crane Timothy Paul Dreste Michael B. Dodds Joseph L. Foreman Charles Roy McMillan Stephen P. Mears Bruce Evan Murch Catherine Ramey Dawn Marie Stover Charles Wysong, and Monica Migliorino Miller Donald Treshman, Planned Parenthood of the Columbia/willamette Inc. Portland Feminist Women's Health Center Robert Crist, M.D. Warren M. Hern, M.D. Elizabeth Newhall, M.D. James Newhall, M.D., and Karen Sweigert, M.D. v. American Coalition of Life Activists Advocates for Life Ministries Michael Bray Andrew Burnett David A. Crane Timothy Paul Dreste Joseph L. Foreman Stephen P. Mears Monica Migliorino Miller Catherine Ramey Dawn Marie Stover Donald Treshman Charles Wysong, and Michael Dodds Charles Roy McMillan Bruce Evan Murch, Planned Parenthood of the Columbia/willamette Inc. Portland Feminist Women's Health Center Robert Crist, M.D. Warren M. Hern, M.D. Elizabeth Newhall, M.D. James Newhall, M.D., and Karen Sweigert, M.D. v. American Coalition of Life Activists Advocates for Life Ministries Michael Bray Andrew Burnett David A. Crane Michael Dodds Charles Roy McMillan Stephen P. Mears Monica Migliorino Miller Bruce Evan Murch Catherine Ramey Dawn Marie Stover Donald Treshman, and Timothy Paul Dreste Joseph L. Foreman Charles Wysong, Planned Parenthood of the Columbia/willamette Inc. Portland Feminist Women's Health Center Robert Crist, M.D. Warren M. Hern, M.D. Elizabeth Newhall, M.D. James Newhall, M.D., and Karen Sweigert, M.D. v. American Coalition of Life Activists Advocates for Life Ministries Michael Bray Andrew Burnett David A. Crane Catherine Ramey Dawn Marie Stover, and Timothy Paul Dreste Michael Dodds Joseph L. Foreman Charles Roy McMillan Stephen P. Mears Monica Migliorino Miller Bruce Evan Murch Donald Treshman Charles Wysong, Planned Parenthood of the Columbia/willamette Inc. Portland Feminist Women's Health Center Robert Crist, M.D. Warren M. Hern, M.D. Elizabeth Newhall, M.D. James Newhall, M.D. v. American Coalition of Life Activists Advocates for Life Ministries Michael Bray Andrew Burnett David A. Crane Timothy Paul Dreste Michael B. Dodds Joseph L. Foreman Charles Roy McMillan Bruce Evan Murch Catherine Ramey Dawn Marie Stover Donald Treshman Charles Wysong, Paul Deparrie, Movant-Appellant. Planned Parenthood of the Columbia/willamette Inc. Portland Feminist Women's Health Center Robert Crist, M.D. Warren M. Hern, M.D. Elizabeth Newhall, M.D. James Newhall, M.D. Karen Sweigert, M.D., Individually and on Behalf of All Persons Similarly Situated v. American Coalition of Life Activists Advocates for Life Ministries Michael Bray Andrew Burnett David Crane Timothy Paul Dreste Michael Dodds Joseph L. Foreman Charles Roy McMillan Monica Migliorino Miller Bruce Evan Murch Catherine Ramey Dawn Marie Stover Donald Treshman Charles Wysong
244 F.3d 1007 (Ninth Circuit, 2001)
Planned Parenthood v. Superior Court
99 Cal. Rptr. 2d 627 (California Court of Appeal, 2000)
Planned Parenthood Golden Gate v. Superior Court
83 Cal. App. 4th 299 (California Court of Appeal, 2000)

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Bluebook (online)
41 F. Supp. 2d 1130, 1999 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 4332, 1999 WL 181597, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/planned-parenthood-of-columbiawillamette-inc-v-american-coalition-of-ord-1999.