A California federal appeals court announced earlier this week they will not allow the release of the videos made by an anti-abortion group against Planned Parenthood. The leaders of an anti-abortion group faced charges filed this week.
The leaders of the anti-abortion group called Center for Medical Progress wanted to expose the Planned Parenthood employees as to what they do with the unborn children aborted from the women clients' wombs. The California prosecutors claimed the secret recordings violated the state law when it comes to privacy.
The members of Center for Medical Progress met with some Planned Parenthood employees over the sale of the fetal tissues for profit. They recorded their transaction with the employees of the nationwide abortion provider without their permission.
The sale was illegal and they released videos in the past but faced legal impediment in releasing more. Planned Parenthood claimed Center for Medical Progress edited the videos to make it look like there is sale of fetal tissues in an attempt to discredit them, ABC News shared.
California prosecutors also filed felony charges against the two anti-abortion activists involved. They identified them as 28-year-old David R. Daleiden, who is also one of the leaders of Center for Medical Progress, and 63-year-old Sandra S. Merritt.
They charged them with 14 counts of illegal recording and one count of conspiracy. Authorities claimed they met with the Planned Parenthood employees and other abortion clinics and businesses in 2014 and 2015 and made the recordings.
After some of the videos surfaced on the internet, it prompted the investigation of the Congress into the matter. The findings, however, did not return positive confirmation of the claims of the anti-abortion group, The New York Times shared.
Daleiden described the prevention of the release of the videos as a discussing criminal conduct. He added they will continue to fight the "unconstitutional abuse of power." Daleiden also said they will vindicate their First Amendment rights and those of all citizen journalists regarding speaking on and publishing about matters of urgent public concern.
