Jakubczyk on Life

In Arkansas, an unlikely couple led to the capture of one of the state's most dangerous criminals. When Detective Jimmy Long began investigating the rape of a 15-year-old girl, a tip led him to the Hope Clinic for Women. According to reports, the man accused of sexually abusing the teenager had brought her to the clinic for an abortion. For years, another couple, Daniel and Angela Michael, had spent their days trying to counsel women outside of the clinic. They also took photographs of people and cars in case anything illegal occurred. They kept every picture, including three of the vehicle that police were searching for. Thanks to their cooperation, Long was able to capture Jeffrey Cheshier and charge him with multiple counts of sexual assault. Prosecutors were relieved to have the evidence but frustrated by repeated requests to the clinic itself, which refused to turn over patient records on the grounds of confidentiality. Long was told he couldn't go to the abortion provider for records without first going to court and suing for the rights. This is the same dilemma that Attorney General Phill Kline faced in Kansas. After years of legal hassle, wasting precious time that could have been spent hunting down sexual predators, Kline was finally granted access to local records. What he found was a shocking paper trail of rape, molestation, and coercion--none of which had been released to police. Tragically, other medical records revealed that a few of the young girls struggled during the procedure but were forced to have abortions against their will. Without any government oversight, is it any wonder that these clinics are getting away with murder? In the name of privacy, young girls have been pawns in a political game. And unless we insist on tighter regulations for abortion clinics, these young girls will continue to suffer.