Life Links 5/1/12

The State of Alabama has shot down abortion clinic owner Diane Derzis' laughable attempt to stay on as de facto owner.

Lease documents submitted to the state in support of Ochata Management's application indicated that the clinic's current operator, Diane Derzis, would serve as landlord to the applicant, and would be paid the difference between the clinic's overhead and income each month in lieu of rent. That arrangement would clearly violate the terms of the consent decree, Dr. W.T. Geary Jr., director of the Bureau of Health Provider Standards, wrote in a letter rejecting the application.

"It is clear that this arrangement would allow Ms. Derzis to remain involved in the center's financial affairs and to be entitled to all the profits from the continued operation of the center; it does not allow for the proposed new operator to independently operate the center," Geary wrote.

Judge Lee Yeakel has stayed a Texas law to prevent the funding of Planned Parenthood.

U.S. District Judge Lee Yeakel in Austin ruled there is sufficient evidence that a law banning Planned Parenthood from the state's Women's Health Program is unconstitutional. He imposed an injunction against enforcing it until he can hear full arguments. Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott appealed Judge Yeakel's decision to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, asking that it remove the injunction.

But Judge Jerry Smith just recently stayed Yeakel's ruling so Texas won't have to fund Planned Parenthood at this point.

The ruling, by Judge Jerry Smith of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, reversed a lower court ruling Monday in favor of the family planning organization. The decision on Tuesday means the state is free for now to enforce a new rule banning Planned Parenthood from the Women's Health Program, Texas officials said.

Minnesota's Governor Mark Dayton vetoed another prolife bill.

Gov. Mark Dayton on Monday, April 30, vetoed bills requiring doctors to be present when abortion-inducing drugs are administered and creating a health care compact.

The governor said he vetoed the abortion bill because it's another attempt to place a regulatory burden on certain health procedures, existing options are safe and it intrudes on federal medicine and medical safety practices.

Authorities in South Carolina are waiting on autopsy results to determine what additional charges to file against Aris Nichols after he stabbed his pregnant girlfriend in the neck.

Brittney Jordan, 21, was several months pregnant when she was stabbed in the neck, police say.

Aris Nichols, 39, is being held without bond in the Chester County jail on a single count of criminal domestic violence of a high and aggravated nature. Chester Police Chief Andre Williams said more charges are expected in the death of the unborn child......

The unborn child, a boy, was named Tavaris Jordan, according to an obituary in Monday's Herald. A graveside service is planned for today.