Court allows inmate's abortion

From Scotus blog:

"The Supreme Court, without recorded dissent, cleared the way on Monday for a Missouri inmate to obtain an abortion over the objection of state officials. In a brief order, the Court refused the state's request to stay a federal judge's order requiring that the inmate be taken to a St. Louis clinic. Justice Clarence Thomas on Friday night had temporarily blocked that order, but the Court on Monday lifted the stay Thomas had issued.

U.S. District Judge Dean Whipple of Jefferson City, Mo., last week had issued an emergency order to require the abortion. The woman, who learned she was pregnant after being arrested in California, is in the 16th or 17th week of pregnancy. She sought an abortion while in California, but was transferred to a women's prison in
Vandalia, Mo., before an abortion could be performed. State officials, citing Missouri's official view that abortion should be discouraged, told her that they would not arrange for an abortion that was not medically necessary.

The case is Crawford v. Roe (application docket 05-A-333).

The woman faces a four-year prison term, after being picked up on a parole violation."

This makes me so happy. Due to some professional ties, I read a letter from this woman about two weeks ago. She was so determined, so intelligent, and -- considering the situation -- amazingly calm in the face of overwhelming adversity and odds. When Clarence issued a stay on Friday I thought for sure the Court would delay so long that she wouldn't be able to obtain the procdure. Thank goodness.

Ewww. . . Missouri is so John Ashcroft about shit.