Indiana AG Clarifies Statements on Abortion Lawsuit

WITZ Radio News is an affiliate of Network Indiana

INDIANAPOLIS -- With prosecutors in Marion, Monroe and Lake Counties all agreeing not to defend an abortion law passed by you state lawmakers during the last legislative session, Attorney General Curtis Hill is saying that it's not their job to defend it to begin with.

"They don't want to defend the action? That's fine." Hill said to 93 WIBC's Tony Katz.

Marion County Prosecutor Terry Curry, Monroe County Prosecutor Chris Gaal, and Lake County Prosecutor Bernard Carter are each listed as defendants in a lawsuit filed by the ACLU in federal court against the abortion law.

"In a case like this, the prosecutors are listed as defendants," Hill said. "I certainly want to clarify that they are certainly free to contact the ACLU and ask the ACLU and ask that their names be removed as defendants, but short of that this case will be determined by my office."

The law in question, SB 340, doesn't ban abortion outright, but it required women to fulfill certain requirements to obtain one, such as getting an ultrasound beforehand and then wait 18 hours afterwards before opting to carry out an abortion. It also required abortion providers like Planned Parenthood to report any complications that may have happened during the procedure.

The ACLU says all this is unconstitutional and is suing the state. The three counties were legal abortion providers are located are Marion, Monroe and Lake Counties.