Twist of Irony: City Funds Used to Purchase Pro-Life Signs

(ANN ARBOR, MI) - When Ann Norton refused to remove an anti-abortion sign containing a color photo of a bloody, aborted female child's head being held by surgical equipment, a passerby tore the sign from its backing. A Kalamazoo police officer was dispatched to the scene. To Ann's surprise, instead of taking action against the passerby, she was threatened with arrest for violating section 750.38 of the Michigan Penal Code, a criminal law that prohibits the public display of pictures of murder.

Norton called the Thomas More Law Center, which promptly filed a federal civil rights lawsuit on her behalf challenging the constitutionality of the Michigan law as it applied to her sign and seeking damages against the police officers for violating her First Amendment rights.

Earlier this April, Federal Judge David W. McKeague signed a Consent Judgment permanently enjoining the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety and several of its officers from arresting pro-life demonstrator Ann Norton under this arcane Michigan law. The order stated that the application of this criminal law to Norton's pro-life speech violates her First Amendment rights. In February of this year, the court had permanently enjoined the Michigan Attorney General and the Kalamazoo County Prosecutor from prosecuting Norton under this same law.

As part of a settlement with the City of Kalamazoo, Norton agreed to dismiss her claims for damages against the individual police officers. In turn, the City agreed to pay Norton $650 as part of this settlement. According to Norton, a portion of the money from the City will be used to purchase several new pro-life signs to aid her in future anti-abortion protests outside of the Planned Parenthood abortion facility in Kalamazoo.

According to Associate Counsel Robert Muise, Norton's attorney in this matter, "Mrs. Norton is very pleased with the results. With this order against the Kalamazoo police, the case is over and Mrs. Norton's First Amendment rights are now completely secured. She tells me that she intends to use part of the $650 settlement from the City of Kalamazoo to buy several new and large pro-life signs to display during her constitutionally protected protests."

Information courtesy of The Thomas More Law Center.  The Thomas More Law Center defends and promotes the religious freedom of Christians, time-honored family values, and the sanctity of human life through litigation, education and related activities. The Center provides its services without charge, and is dependent upon individual donations, foundations and corporations for financial support. The Thomas More Law Center is recognized by the IRS as a 501 (c) (3) organization. You may contact the Center at (734) 827-2001 or visit our website at www.thomasmore.org <http://www.thomasmore.org>.