June 20, 2025 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

Culver City Police Nab Two Suspects in Canterbury Drive Burglary Case

June 19, 2025

June 19, 2025

Community Tip and Set Investigation Lead to Arrest of Repeat Offenders Culver City police have arrested two suspects in connection...

9th Circuit Court Backs Trump in Battle Over California National Guard Control

June 19, 2025

June 19, 2025

Federal Judges Allow Trump to Retain Command of Troops in Los Angeles Federal judges on Thursday cleared the way for...

Nightly I-405 Lane Closures Begin June 23 for Sepulveda Pass Rehab

June 19, 2025

June 19, 2025

Caltrans Will Shut Down Select Lanes Nightly Through June 28 The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has announced overnight lane...

(Video) Where great minds grow at The Willows Community School

June 19, 2025

June 19, 2025

The Willows, a DK-8 co-educational school, enrolls 474 students from 57+ zip codes annually. As a balanced, progressive educational leader, experiential learning,...

(Video) The Guest List Collab Dinner with Chef Raphael Lunetta and Chef Alan Wong

June 19, 2025

June 19, 2025

Held at Marelle Restaurant at The Sandbourne Hotel in Santa Monica. An Incredible mix of Hawaiian and Santa Monica’s flavors...

Summer Pop-Ups Serve Crullers, Challah Donuts, Croissants, Coffee and Musical Vibes

June 19, 2025

June 19, 2025

Nyletta Nyletta, Challah Dad, Des Croissants Paris Bring Pastry Delights to Culver City A pair of sweet summer pop-ups are...

(Video) A Plus Tree: A Steward of Urban Forest Management Across Los Angeles

June 18, 2025

June 18, 2025

For More Information, Go to Aplustree.com For More Information, Go to https://t.co/fvJmXNZPfw pic.twitter.com/oxfMddVpLR — Westside Today (@WestsideLAToday) June 19, 2025

Pizza Girl Brings Clean, Classic Italian Pizza to West Hollywood’s Sunset Strip

June 18, 2025

June 18, 2025

Founder Caroline D’Amore opens “Pink and Mortar” shop at Hotel Ziggy Pizza Girl is now open at its new brick-and-mortar...

Foodie Week Returns to Westfield Century City With 10 Days of Irresistible Dining Deals

June 18, 2025

June 18, 2025

25 Restaurants Are Serving Up Exclusive Offers, Prix-Fixe Menus,  Limited-Time Treats Westfield Century City is kicking off its annual Foodie...

Justice Served by the Slice: L.A. Chefs Rally for Pies for Justice Fundraiser

June 18, 2025

June 18, 2025

Sweet, Savory, and Pizza Pies to Support Foster Youth and Civil Rights Chefs and restaurants from across Los Angeles and...

Journalist Files Lawsuit After Being Hit by ‘Less Lethal’ Munition Fired by Sheriff’s Deputies

June 17, 2025

June 17, 2025

LASD Faces Legal Claim After Journalist Wounded at Anti-Ice Rally  Independent photojournalist Nick Stern has filed a civil rights claim...

CAP UCLA’s 2025–26 Season Spotlights Queer Voices, Global Visionaries, and Musical Trailblazers

June 17, 2025

June 17, 2025

The New Lineup Celebrates Boundary-Pushing Performances Across Disciplines The UCLA Center for the Art of Performance (CAP UCLA) has announced...

LAPD Searching for Suspect in Pair of West Los Angeles Motorcycle Thefts

June 17, 2025

June 17, 2025

Man Seen Wearing Helmet Stole Motorcycles From Apartment Garage Detectives with the Los Angeles Police Department’s West Los Angeles Division...

Copper Wire Theft Suspect Arrested After Late-Night Stop in Culver City

June 17, 2025

June 17, 2025

Police Recover Stolen Wiring and Tools, Asks For Community Help Proactive patrol efforts by Culver City police led to the...

Tyler Malek Celebrates New Ice Cream Cookbook With Sweet Pop-Ups in Los Angeles

June 16, 2025

June 16, 2025

Chef to Appear at Book Soup and Debut Limited-Edition Matcha Sandwich at GGiata Tyler Malek, co-founder and head chef of...