Anti-Planned Parenthood Videographers Have Charges Dropped

The Harris County District Attorney's Office on Tuesday dropped charges against two anti-Planned Parenthood activists who allegedly used fake government IDs to film a Texas abortion clinic under cover, according to multiple reports.

David Daleiden and Sandra Merritt were behind last year's videos that purported to show Planned Parenthood selling aborted fetal tissue for a profit, a practice that would be illegal. The women's healthcare provider said it was only asking to cover its own costs for transporting the materials, which are used for medical research.

An investigation by the Harris County District Attorney found no wrongdoing on Planned Parenthood's part but resulted in grand jury indictments for Daleiden and Merritt.

Daleiden and Merrit were both charged with tampering with a governmental record for allegedly creating the fake IDs. Daleiden also faced a charge relating to the sale of human organs, which was dismissed last month.

Daleiden argued that his charges should be dropped because of improper grand jury and prosecutor proceedings.

Patch has reached out to the district attorney's office for more information about the charges being dropped, and we'll let you know when we hear back.

Read more:

• Indicted Anti-Planned Parenthood Activists Turn Themselves In
• Indictments Over Planned Parenthood Videos Violate First Amendment, Group Says
• Planned Parenthood Probe Ends With Twist: Indictments Against Anti-Abortionists
• Group Claims Planned Parenthood Sells Fetal Tissue

Image via Fibonacci Blue, Flickr, used under Creative Commons