Former plaintiff in Roe vs. Wade asks for overturned verdict

[texas*princess]

Big news in the metroplex today...

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http://www.canada.com/news/story.asp...A-21524B9686ED

Former plaintiff in landmark Roe vs. Wade abortion case asks case overturned

LISA FALKENBERG
Canadian Press

Tuesday, June 17, 2003

DALLAS (AP) - The former plaintiff known as Jane Roe in the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court case that legalized abortion sought to have the case overturned in a motion filed Tuesday that asks the courts to consider new evidence that abortion hurts women.

Norma McCorvey, who joined the anti-abortion fight nearly 10 years ago and says she regrets her role in Roe v. Wade, said the Supreme Court's decision is no longer valid because scientific and anecdotal evidence that has come to light in the last 30 years has shown the negative effects of abortion.

"We're getting our babies back," a jubilant McCorvey said at a news conference while flanked by about 60 women, some who sobbed and held signs that read "I regret my abortion."

"I feel like the weight of the world has just been lifted off my shoulders," said McCorvey, 55.

Sarah Weddington, the abortion advocate and lawyer who originally represented McCorvey, did not immediately return a call seeking comment. A representative from the National Organization for Women also did not immediately return a message.

Allen Parker, McCorvey's lawyer, said he could not remember any other landmark case in which the plaintiff has asked to have it overturned.

"I think the new evidence will show the court what they thought was good will turn out to be an instrument of wrong," said Parker, who is with the San Antonio-based Texas Justice Foundation.

McCorvey filed the motion with the federal district court in Dallas, which ruled to legalize abortion in Texas before the Supreme Court ruling. The Texas attorney general's office and Dallas district attorney each have 20 days to respond to the motion.

McCorvey and her attorneys asked the federal court to consider more than 5,400 pages of evidence, including 1,000 affidavits from women who say they regret their abortions.

McCorvey was a 21-year-old carnival barker when, pregnant for the third time, she sought an abortion. She agreed to be the plaintiff in a lawsuit seeking to overturn Texas' anti-abortion statute.

The Supreme Court decision came after she had the baby. It was the third child she put up for adoption. McCorvey publicly identified herself as Jane Roe in 1980.

© Copyright 2003 The Canadian Press

[Betarulz!]

As a pro-choicer, I have to say a big "So what?"

I'm glad she regretted the fact that she had an abortion, hopefully it made her smarter about her decisions that led up to being put in a situation, but simply because people have remorse for their actions doesn't make it proper to make it illegal.

There are consequences for every action, and sometimes they aren't good ones.

Further the pain inflicted during legal abortions carried out by medical professionals is going to be far less than the pains that would occur when women are forced to turn to back-alley abortions.

While I think that abortion is probably not the best thing for anyone, I think that making it illegal brings about far more negative consequences for women than it helps.

Honestly I'd prefer it if through preventative measures (increased sex education, information/access to birth control - including condoms and emergency contraceptives, increase in children given up for adoption) we were able to make abortion obsolete. However conservatives seem to want do nothing to prevent the need for abortions just as much as they want to do away with them.

[33girl]

Originally posted by Betarulz!
As a pro-choicer, I have to say a big "So what?"

I'm glad she regretted the fact that she had an abortion, hopefully it made her smarter about her decisions that led up to being put in a situation, but simply because people have remorse for their actions doesn't make it proper to make it illegal.

That's the point, she never had the abortion. If she had been able to obtain one her suit would have been pointless.

[AlphaGamDiva]

Originally posted by Betarulz!
However conservatives seem to want do nothing to prevent the need for abortions just as much as they want to do away with them.

i agree that may seem the case for some conservatives, but for this particular conservative, not so much. i would love for the so-called "need" for abortions to not exist.....unwanted pregnancies are unbelievably sad and unfortunate, and all too real. but i have the mind-frame (probably unrealistic, but ya know) that not every unwanted pregnancy is really unwanted since there is someone out there trying to become pregnant and can't and therefore would definitely want that child.

not to get off into something else, though. i'm all for condoms in bathrooms, better sex ed classes, but honestly......do those really prevent kids from having unprotected sex/sex at all?? i don't know the statistics for those gettin it on with and without those classes in school, so if someone can show me some, i'd appreciate it. (not even being sarcastic....for real) i think more so than just gen sex ed classes, kids need to be taught that certain actions can produce certain results....and they need to be morally responsible in both. in my opinion, having an abortion when the mother's life is not in danger.....it's a selfish act. they don't want to go through the embarrassment of the pregnancy, don't want to have a kid right then, they don't think they can afford it all.....so, the easy fix-it-quick solution is to rid themself of the problem. abortion.

if we could fix human nature to take care of others b/4 ourselves, there would be no abortion problem. again, i'm being completely un-realistic. adoption, in my opinion, is the answer to all "unwanted" pregnancies......the whole world is not going to abstain (at least i'm really not planning on it), so the best we can do is birth control methods. sometimes, those fail. sometimes, babies are conceived.

so, as a pro-lifer, i have to say, "so sad"......it sucks that this woman regrets her decision to be involved in this case, and like beta...i have to say i hope she does learn from all this....but i think it's shown that she has by wanting roe vs wade over-turned.

also just like to say i know this is a touchy subject.....2 of my best best friends in this world have had abortions.....please (!) don't think i am judging anyone b/c i'm not....my selfish comment up there is not meant to describe anything but the act of abortion....i know ppl feel helpless and like they don't have anything else to do....believe me when i say i know and understand this from having to see the before and after-effects of their abortions.....all i am stating above is how i wish reality was--adoption friendly. i hope this can stay a civil and not-too-flamey thread.....

[MTSUGURL]

Well said, AlphaGamDiva. I agree whole heartedly.

I'm an abstinence teacher in my county, and have worked with countless teenage girls through camps and counseling situations. I don't know how many girls I have sat with while they are waiting for results for their pregnancy test. Prevention is the best choice. Being a birth control - condom baby myself (my mother used both and here I am), I tell teenagers and college age adults alike that the only true prevention is abstinence. It's not the most popular belief, granted, but it's true. I've also been to clinics with countless teenage girls getting birth control I think our schools need to do a much better of educating students about the risks of sex, since society is proving the majority of parentsare quiet on thi issue.