The Planned Parenthood-instigated criminal prosecution of Sandra Merritt misfired big time today when a state judge threw out five more bogus charges against Sandra, which is in addition to the one previously dismissed. We’re excited to see this frivolous and baseless political prosecution fall apart, count-by-count.

And with your help now, we’ll keep fighting until Sandra—a godly pro-life hero who is utterly blameless—is fully absolved of every last phony charge against her.

But to wage this battle—Liberty Counsel’s most expensive case ever—I am asking for your support. We’re fighting to see every last charge dismissed and your generous gift now will boost everything we’re doing to secure victory for Sandra.

Please be as generous as you can today.

Sandra’s courageous undercover journalism exposed Planned Parenthood’s inhumane baby body parts business.

Wounded, embarrassed and furious, the abortion giant is doing everything possible to crucify Sandra—to bankrupt her and put her behind bars.

We’re fighting the combined might of the state of California and Planned Parenthood—America’s abortion giant and a $1.7 billion corporation—in the most crucial pro-life legal battle in a generation.

That’s why I ask for your urgently needed help today to see this critical case all the way to VICTORY!

Thank you for your gracious and kind support! See my update on today’s ruling and join me in fighting for Sandra’s full and final exoneration! –Mat

Pro-life hero Sandra Merritt won a crucial partial victory today in her fight against the outrageous criminal prosecution targeting her brought by California’s pro-Planned Parenthood Attorney General Xavier Becerra.

AG Becerra charged Sandra for her ground-breaking undercover investigation which exposed Planned Parenthood's gruesome trafficking in baby body parts.

But San Francisco Superior Court Judge Christopher Hite ruled today that the criminal case against Sandra may move forward for only nine of the initial 15 felony criminal charges.

Judge Hite dismissed five more charges today as he made factual findings that the number of strangers in close proximity to those recorded conversations meant there could be no objectively reasonable expectation that the conversations were confidential.

Judge Hite previously dismissed count eight. Thus, of the original 15 counts, Judge Hite has dismissed six. The standard at the preliminary hearing stage to determine what may go to trial is a very low “probable cause” standard, which is even lower than the “preponderance of the evidence” standing in a civil trial.

+ + Today’s ruling highlights staggering bias

In the criminal case, Judge Hite ruled that “Doe 9” did not even meet this low standard of probable cause. In contrast, Judge Orrick in the civil case allowed the jury to find in favor of “Doe 9,” even though the hurdle of preponderance of the evidence is higher than probable cause.

This huge difference underscores the staggering bias in the civil case.

And even as Planned Parenthood works to mercilessly punish Sandra for telling the truth about its heinous and cruel treatment of living humans, it is also trampling on the First Amendment.

Merritt and Merritt’s co-defendant, David Daleiden, the founder of the Center for Medical Progress, are the first undercover journalists to be criminally prosecuted in the history of the state.

Liberty Counsel represents Merritt and has shown that, to date, no other citizen journalist or journalism organization has ever been charged with a crime for undercover recordings made in the public interest.

Judge Hite dismissed one of the original 15 felony criminal charges during the two-week preliminary criminal hearing. The first dismissed charge was regarding “Doe 8,” an abortion professor at a taxpayer-funded, public university, who never showed up to testify.

The undercover videos, most of which were recorded at the National Abortion Federation’s (NAF) 2014 and 2015 abortion convention and trade shows, exposed Planned Parenthood’s illegal involvement in harvesting and selling aborted baby body parts to companies such as StemExpress.

+ + Ghoulish recordings indict Planned Parenthood

The ghoulish recordings capture Planned Parenthood executives haggling over the prices of baby body parts, picking through bloodied arms and legs of aborted babies in a pie tray, and discussing how to alter abortion methods to obtain better body parts for sale. All with no evidence of discomfort, concern or compassion for their tiny, dismembered human victims.

We are glad that this unprecedented political prosecution is being dismissed, piece-by-piece. No journalist has ever been charged for investigative reporting.

The attorney general is allowing politics to drive him rather than the rule of law. I am confident that Sandra Merritt did nothing wrong and we will continue to fight to exonerate her on all charges.

But to do that, I need your help now. And it’s urgent because this battle is incredibly expensive, immensely important to the battle for life, and FAR from over.

Please stand with Sandra now. Give generously to take us on to TOTAL victory as we battle America’s abortion giant, Planned Parenthood, and its willing stooge, AG Becerra.

Thank you for your prayers and your partnership. Your heart of compassion for the unborn and your financial gifts are powering this fight forward!

For life and liberty,

Mat Staver,
Founder and Chairman
Liberty Counsel