November 5, 2024 The Best Source of News, Culture, Lifestyle for Culver City, Mar Vista, Del Rey, Palms and West Los Angeles

Anti-Abortion Activists Charged With Felonies Following Illegal Recording of Healthcare Providers

The state Department of Justice filed felony charges Tuesday against two anti-abortion activists who allegedly used false pretenses to meet women’s health care providers and secretly record conversations that caused a fire storm over the purported sale of fetal tissue by Planned Parenthood.

David Robert Daleiden and Sandra Merritt are accused in the 15-count complaint of making the recordings at health care providers in Los Angeles, San Francisco and El Dorado counties.

Daleiden and Merritt “used manufactured identities and a fictitious bioresearch company to meet women’s healthcare providers and covertly record the private discussions they initiated,” Attorney General Xavier Becerra said.

“The right to privacy is a cornerstone of California’s Constitution and a right that is foundational in a free democratic society,” Becerra said. “We will not tolerate the criminal recording of confidential conversations.”

The complaint, filed in San Francisco Superior Court, accused the two of recording 14 people, all listed as Does, without their consent.

Daleiden and Merritt, for whom arrest warrants have been issued, published edited video of the conversations on the website of the Irvine-based Center for Medical Progress, which the defendants founded, according to the criminal complaint.

A posting on CMP’s website — titled, “Planned Parenthood’s political cronies file discredited charges against David Daleiden” — called the charges “bogus” and “fake news,” a term used extensively in attacks on news media by President Donald Trump.

“They tried the same collusion with corrupt officials in Houston, Texas and failed: both the charges and the DA were thrown out,” the posting stated. “The public knows the real criminals are Planned Parenthood and their business partners like StemExpress and DV Biologics — currently being prosecuted in California — who have harvested and sold aborted baby body parts for profit for years in direct violation of state and federal law.

We look forward to showing the entire world what is on our yet- unreleased video tapes of Planned Parenthood’s criminal baby body parts enterprise, in vindication of the First Amendment rights of all.”

The recordings were made between April 6 and Oct. 3, 2015 with providers in Los Angeles and Pasadena and in San Francisco and El Dorado counties, the complaint alleges.

The complaint also alleges that Daleiden and Merritt committed conspiracy between Oct. 9, 2013 and July 22, 2015.

The two are accused of making secret recordings at the National Abortion Federation’s 2014 conference and in San Francisco.

The state Department of Justice began an investigation into the matter after receiving a request to do so in December 2015, according to a special agent’s affidavit filed with the complaint.

“Daleiden alleged publicly and to law enforcement that the employees (of the health care providers) were transferring aborted fetal tissue for profit in violation of California law,” the affidavit by Special Agent Brian Cardeell states.

Agents learned that Daleiden created a “phony fetal tissue procurement company, BioMax Procurement Services, for the sole purpose of gaining access to various conferences hosted by Planned Parenthood, the National Abortion Federation and others affiliated with women’s health care services,” according to Cardwell’s affidavit.

The affidavit also states that Daleiden and at least two other people “fraudulently created California driver’s licenses” under false names to obtain a vendor booth for BioMax at the 2014 NAF conference.

“Several of the secretly filmed video segments were edited and subsequently released for public viewing via (the Center for Medical Progress’) website in July of 2015,” Cardwell alleged.

“Immediately afterward, several of the health care providers who had been named and identified in the videos began receiving personal death threats.”

465988507

Related Posts

Early Morning Call From Community Leads to Burglary Arrest in Culver City

November 4, 2024

November 4, 2024

Police Respond To Suspicious Activity Call, Arrest Suspect With Pickaxe Culver City police arrested a man early Friday morning in...

Culver City Police Department is Prepared to Ensure Community Safety During Election Week

November 4, 2024

November 4, 2024

Enhanced Patrols, Activated Emergency Center Ready, Culver City Voting Center is Open The Culver City Police Department has announced an...

Legendary Music Icon Quincy Jones Dies at 91 in Bel Air

November 4, 2024

November 4, 2024

Celebrated Musician, Producer Leaves an Indelible Legacy By Dolores Quintana Legendary musician, music producer, film and television producer, composer of...

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Lays Off Longtime Archive and Library Staff

November 4, 2024

November 4, 2024

Downsizing and Restructuring Continue, Affecting Employees with Decades of Service By Dolores Quintana Last week, the Academy of Motion Picture...

LA County Opens 526 New Vote Centers for Early Voting, Announces Conditional Voting for Unregistered Residents

November 3, 2024

November 3, 2024

Metro LA Offers Free Rides on Election Day to Help Residents Get to the Polls Los Angeles County opened an...

New Aviation/Century Station Opens, Linking Metro’s C and K Lines

November 3, 2024

November 3, 2024

Metro’s Newest Station Paves the Way for Future LAX Transit Center The new Aviation/Century Station officially opened this week, marking...

H5N1 Detected in LA County Wastewater, Health Officials Urge Precautions for Residents

November 3, 2024

November 3, 2024

Los Angeles County Investigates Low-Level H5 Avian Flu Detected in Wastewater The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is...

Two Events in Culver City This Weekend: Bike Registration and Dance Performance

November 1, 2024

November 1, 2024

Put the Brakes on Bicycle Theft and Enjoy an Evening of Dance and Interactive Art The Culver City Police Department...

All You Need to Know to Attend the Dodgers Victory Parade Tomorrow in DTLA

November 1, 2024

November 1, 2024

World Champions and LA’s Team to Greet Angelenos After Win of NY Yankees The Los Angeles Dodgers announced that their...

Beverly Hills City Government Agrees to a Stipulated Judgment After Blocking Abortion Clinic Opening

November 1, 2024

November 1, 2024

City to Implement Training, Oversight on Reproductive Rights Following Legal Settlement  California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced a legal agreement...

Dia De Los Muertos 2024: Here’s Where To Celebrate The Holiday Tradition This Weekend

October 31, 2024

October 31, 2024

Los Angeles Has a Variety of Ways to Explore Latino Culture and Honor Ancestors Starting just after Halloween, Dia de...

(Video) Downtown L.A. Reacts to World Series Victory

October 31, 2024

October 31, 2024

The Dodgers Are World Series Champs For The Eighth Time https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTFtyDDKn/

Halloween Pre-Game Party Brings Chills and Spooky Thrills to The Rose Venice

October 31, 2024

October 31, 2024

Enjoy Halloween With Festive Cocktails, Appetizers, and a Costume Contest The Rose Venice in Venice is set to host a...

(Video) Something About Her’s First Tea Time Was a Big Hit

October 31, 2024

October 31, 2024

The Next Date is November Third. Beautiful vibes, deciduous food and drink. Don’t miss it. @Something About Her @culvercitywlanews Something...

Something About Her Sandwich Shop Hosts Second Exclusive Tea Time on November 3

October 30, 2024

October 30, 2024

By Dolores Quintana West Hollywood’s Delightful Sandwich Spot by Vanderpump Rules Stars Has Tea Service Something About Her, the adorable...