Four additional defendants are set to go on trial this week for their involvement in a protest at a Washington, D.C.-based abortion clinic in October 2020.
The nine defendants, including Jonathan Darnel, are facing federal charges of felony conspiracy against rights and felony violation of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act. Darnel, a self-proclaimed Christian, has stated that he will plead not guilty to the charges.
In an interview with Fox News Digital, Darnel expressed his belief in his innocence, calling it ironic that he finds himself in this position. He stated, "Nevertheless, if a jury finds me guilty of FACE even erroneously, it would be an honor because the kids are worthy of protection."
Last week, five other pro-life protesters listed in the same indictment were found guilty by a jury. Among them was Lauren Handy, the director of activism for the Progressive Anti-Abortion Uprising. Each defendant faces potential sentences of 11 years in prison and fines of up to $350,000.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that the evidence presented at trial demonstrated that the defendants conspired to create a blockade at the reproductive health care clinic, preventing the clinic from providing services and patients from receiving them.
Paulette Harlow, one of the defendants facing trial, expressed her lack of surprise at last week's verdict. She criticized the trial for being biased and argued against labeling the defendants as violent. Harlow stated, "And to try to label them [defendants] as violent, or any of the pro-life people as violent is very, very false, and it's just meant to sway people away from what we're trying to do. And what we're trying to do is save lives."
Prosecutors argued that the pro-life activists violated the 1994 FACE Act, which prohibits physical force, threats of force, or intentional property damage to prevent someone from obtaining or providing abortion services.
U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly, who presided over the trial, ordered the immediate detention of the defendants following the announcement of the guilty verdict. Kollar-Kotelly, a Clinton-nominee, will also preside over the upcoming trial.
Stephen Crampton, senior counsel for the nonprofit legal firm Thomas More Society, which represents Handy, expressed doubt that the upcoming trial would yield a substantially different verdict. Crampton questioned the timing of the charges, noting that the government waited a year and a half to file them. He referred to the indictment as a "political witch hunt" with a left-wing bias and criticized the lack of prosecution against climate activists who engaged in disruptive protests.
Crampton also raised concerns about the fairness of the jury selection process, stating that most of the jurors were either Planned Parenthood donors or pro-choice advocates. He described Washington, D.C. as the "most pro-abortion city in America" and argued that the defendants' actions did not constitute a conspiracy since the demonstrations were loosely organized.
According to the DOJ's indictment, seven of the defendants traveled from other states to participate in the clinic blockade, which was directed by Handy and live-streamed on Facebook by Darnel. The indictment alleges that the defendants forcefully entered the clinic and used their bodies, furniture, chains, and ropes to block two clinic doors. It also claims that an altercation occurred during the protest, resulting in a clinic employee being hospitalized for an ankle injury, although the cause of the injury remains unclear.
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