ROSS. YEAH, WE LEARNED THAT THIS WEEK THAT THIS BUILDING KNOWN AS THE PINK BUILDING HAS A NEW OWNER. EVEN AS THE COURT BATTLE HAS BEEN MOVING FORWARD OVER ACCESS TO ABORTION. A RECENT CHANGE IN OWNERSHIP OF THE JACKSON WOMEN’S HEALTH ORGANIZATION SIGNALS THE END OF THE FIGHT FOR ACCESS TO SURGICAL ABORTION IN MISSISSIPPI. IT TOOK US 50 YEARS TO GET TO THIS POINT WHERE WE’RE REVERSING ROE. I MEAN, WE KNOW THIS IS GOING TO TAKE US A WHILE TO GET TO A PLACE WHERE WE CAN HAVE SOMETHING BETTER, BUT THE FIGHT IS JUST GETTING STARTED. ATTORNEYS FOR THE STATE AND THE CLINIC FACED A JULY 25TH DEADLINE TO SUBMIT BRIEFS TO THE STATE SUPREME COURT AFTER A CLINIC DEFENDER HAS FILED A LAWSUIT TO STOP THE STATE TRIGGER BAN FROM TAKING EFFECT. IT PROHIBITS ALMOST ALL ABORTIONS IN MISSISSIPPI. IT’S ONE THING TO TALK ABOUT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE IN THEORY FOR FOLKS NOT TO BE ABLE TO DRIVE TO JACKSON AND HAVE ACCESS TO ABORTION. BUT NOW WE GET TO SEE WHAT THAT MEANS IN PRACTICE. AND WE LIVE IN A STATE WHERE MEDICAID HAS BEEN EXPANDED AND PEOPLE DON’T HAVE ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE. OFTEN A RURAL COMMUNITY EIGHTIES, THEIR ARGUMENT WAS BASED ON A TWO DECADE OLD SUPREME COURT RULING THAT THE STATE CONSTITUTION GUARANTEES A RIGHT TO ABORTION. BUT THAT POSITION HAS NOW CHANGED AFTER THE OWNER TOLD THE ASSOCIATED PRESS THE BUILDING HAS BEEN SOLD AND WON’T LIKELY REOPEN EVEN IF A STATE COURT ALLOWS IT TO DO SO. TUESDAY LAWYERS FILED A VOLUNTARY DISMISSAL NOTICE AND HINDS COUNTY CHANCERY COURT. THEY SET THE JACKSON WOMEN’S HEALTH ORGANIZATION IS NOW REACHED AN AGREEMENT TO SELL THE BUILDING IN WHICH THE CLINIC OPERATED. IT IS NO LONGER IN A POSITION TO REOPEN AT THIS TIME OR TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS CASE. THE MISSISSIPPI CENTER FOR JUSTICE ALSO INVOLVED IN THE ABORTION LAWSUIT, SAID, QUOTE, WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK FOR THE DAY THAT RIGHT IS RESTORED AND THAT EVERY MISSISSIPPIAN HAS THE RESOURCE TO MAKE THEIR OWN REPOR ACTIVE AND FAMILY PLANNING DECISIONS. NOW WE HAVE SEEN FOLKS IN AND OUT ALL DAY. THIS HAD LATE THIS AFTERNOON ACTUALLY WHICH SHOULD SAY REMOVING FURNITURE AND OTHER EQUIPMENT. AS FOR THEIR FUTURE, WE DON’T YET KNOW WHO THE NEW OWNERS ARE OR WHAT THEIR PLANS ARE FOR THIS BUILDING. ACCORDING TO THE HINDS COUNTY CHANCERY COURT, THE PROPERTY IS VALUED AT MORE THAN $215,000. LIVE I
Mississippi clinic drops challenge of state’s abortion ban
Pink building that housed state’s only abortion clinic sold
Mississippi’s last abortion clinic has dropped its lawsuit that sought to block the state from enforcing a law that bans most abortions.The action Tuesday came a day after clinic owner Diane Derzis told The Associated Press that she had sold Jackson Women’s Health Organization. According to the Hinds County Chancery Clerk’s Office, the property is valued at more than $215,000.”The closure of the JWHO is devastating and we grieve the continued disruption of Mississippians’ ability to control our lives and futures,” the clinic said in a statement.The facility was at the center of a U.S. Supreme Court case that overturned Roe v. Wade. One of the clinic’s attorneys, Rob McDuff, said because the clinic is not in a position to reopen, it no longer has a basis to pursue the lawsuit. “Diane’s work is not done and we applaud her commitment to continuing to ensure people can exercise their right to abortion. As she has stated, she is working to open a clinic in Las Cruces, New Mexico, where she can provide abortion care without fear of being put in prison for 10 years,” McDuff said in a statement. The clinic, known as the Pink House, stopped doing abortions July 6.
Mississippi’s last abortion clinic has dropped its lawsuit that sought to block the state from enforcing a law that bans most abortions.
The action Tuesday came a day after clinic owner Diane Derzis told The Associated Press that she had sold Jackson Women’s Health Organization. According to the Hinds County Chancery Clerk’s Office, the property is valued at more than $215,000.
“The closure of the JWHO is devastating and we grieve the continued disruption of Mississippians’ ability to control our lives and futures,” the clinic said in a statement.
The facility was at the center of a U.S. Supreme Court case that overturned Roe v. Wade.
One of the clinic’s attorneys, Rob McDuff, said because the clinic is not in a position to reopen, it no longer has a basis to pursue the lawsuit.
“Diane’s work is not done and we applaud her commitment to continuing to ensure people can exercise their right to abortion. As she has stated, she is working to open a clinic in Las Cruces, New Mexico, where she can provide abortion care without fear of being put in prison for 10 years,” McDuff said in a statement.
The clinic, known as the Pink House, stopped doing abortions July 6.
