Abortion-linked judge keeps lid on undercover videos

William Orrick

An abortion-linked judge – who has served on the board of an organization that works directly with Planned Parenthood – has decided the public has no right to see undercover videos made of abortionists in the National Abortion Federation complaining of "heads that get stuck" and describing taking a fetus apart as "very difficult."

The ruling from Judge William Orrick, who served on the board of Good Samaritan Family Resource Center, which houses an abortionists' office, also means that David investigator Daleiden's lawyers can't use the information in the videos to assist their client in a criminal trial.

Daleiden and his Center for Medical Progress captured Planned Parenthood and other abortion industry officials on undercover video talking openly about obtaining payment for the body parts of dismembered unborn babies. One stated she wanted more money because, "I want a Lamborghini."

Orrick has participated in several cases against Daleiden, despite his abortion connections and requests to the court that he be replaced on account of bias. He earlier ruled videos taken at the NAF must be suppressed.

He also imposed a $200,000 penalty on Daleiden and his lawyers for releasing one of the videos taken at a National Abortion Federation event. The lawyers submitted it to the court because its evidence would support Daleiden's defense.

Orrick quickly ordered the NAF video be removed from the web, and his order even extended to organizations that were not part of the case or even in his jurisdiction.

Before the video disappeared, however, WND obtained quotes from it.

For example, Lisa Harris, medical director for Planned Parenthood of Michigan, says: "Our stories don't really have a place in a lot of pro-choice discourse and rhetoric, right? The heads that get stuck that we can't get out. The hemorrhages that we manage."

Susan Robinson of Planned Parenthood of Mar Monte in San Jose, California: "The fetus is a tough little object and taking it apart, I mean taking it apart, on day one is very difficult.'

Talcott Camp, deputy director of the American Civil Liberties Union's Reproductive Health Freedom Project: "I'm like oh my god! I get it! When the skull is broken, that's really sharp. I get it, I understand why people are talking about getting that skull out, that calvarium."

Deborah Nucatola, senior director of medical services at Planned Parenthood Federation of America: "You know, sometimes she'll tell me she wants brain, and we'll, you know, leave the calvarium in 'til last, and then try to basically take it, or actually, you know, catch everything, and even keep it separate from the rest of the tissue so it doesn't get lost."

Uta Landy, founder of the Consortium of Abortion providers for Planned Parenthood: "An eyeball just fell down into my lap, and that is gross."

Her comment was followed by raucous laughter from the abortionists at the meeting of the National Abortion Federation.

At Courthouse News reported Orrick rejected arguments that the judge's insistence that evidence be concealed was harming Daleiden's defense on conspiracy and invasion of privacy charges stemming from videos made in public spaces.

Peter Breen of the Thomas More Society told Orrick, "When you have felony charges against your client, you have to be able to use everything for your client."

Orrick quickly quashed the idea, however, insisting a state court judge can admit parts of the videos as evidence if he thinks they're needed.

While Orrick has claimed that the videos don't show wrongdoing, two congressional investigations have resulted in referrals to the Justice Department for investigation and possible prosecution.

Also, two bioscience companies cited in videos that have been released reached a $7.7 million settlement with the Orange County District Attorney's Office for allegedly selling fetal tissue for profit.

In July, an appeals court was asked to remove Orrick.

At the time, Charles LiMandri, the chief counsel for the Freedom of Conscience Defense Fund, said Orrick "is an ardent supporter of abortion and Planned Parenthood, and he and his spouse have shown open hostility to David."

"Allowing a biased judge to preside over this case is a grave injustice," he said.

FCDF and the Thomas More Society, who are defending Daleiden and CMP, argue Orrick’s relationship with Planned Parenthood explains his wholesale adoption of NAF's and Planned Parenthood’s since-disproved theory that CMP's investigative journalism led to widespread vigilante vandalism against them.

"Even though that theory has been proven false – and even repudiated by Planned Parenthood – Judge Orrick has stood by it, showing that assigning a new judge is necessary to 'preserve the appearance of justice,'" the legal teams said.

"Evidence of Judge Orrick’s bias includes sitting on the board of a family planning clinic that partners with Planned Parenthood and allowing his wife to use his image to demonize David and CMP on social media, likening them to 'extremists' who incite 'domestic terrorism," the lawyers said.

LiMandri said that even "the slightest hint that the judge favors one party over another will forever taint the public's perception of the fairness of his ruling."

"This is especially so because the outcome of this case will have an enormous impact on the abortion debate," he said.