More than a year after Sandra “Susan” Merritt was arrested for producing undercover videos of Planned Parenthood’s unethical “procurement” of baby body parts, the San Francisco Superior Court this week returned the $75,000 in bail money that she was required to post for her pre-trial release.
Merritt previously turned herself in to California authorities to answer the politically motivated 15-count felony charges brought against her by the California attorney general at the behest of Planned Parenthood.
The court has now correctly decided that Merritt is not a flight risk and returned the bail money that she should have never been required to pay. Attorney General Xavier Becerra was also ordered to produce more documents that he has withheld regarding his office’s collusion with Planned Parenthood in bringing and maintaining the charges against Merritt.
Rather than investigating and prosecuting Planned Parenthood for the inhuman conduct depicted in the video evidence gathered by Merritt, the attorney general filed charges against her, claiming her undercover video recordings violated California law. The new documents required to be turned over by the court are expected to provide even more evidence in support of Merritt’s recently filed motion to disqualify the attorney general from this prosecution and to dismiss the discriminatory, selectively brought charges.
Liberty Counsel is defending Merritt and is seeking dismissal of these outrageous and baseless charges. To date, no other citizen journalist or journalism organization has ever been charged with a crime for undercover recordings.
“Sandra Merritt, a mother and grandmother who has lived in the same house for 41 years, should never have had to pay an exorbitant sum to win her pre-trial freedom,” Horatio Mihet, vice president of legal affairs and chief litigation counsel at Liberty Counsel. “Sandra is certainly not a flight risk as she doesn’t even have a passport. She will continue to meet Planned Parenthood, and its attorney general ally, in court until these outrageous charges are dismissed,” said Mihet.
“It is time for the light to shine on this discriminatory prosecution, and we look forward to the day when Sandra will be fully exonerated,” says Mat Staver, founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel. {eoa}
For the original article, visit lc.org.
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