Indiana doctor’s law firm tells AG to halt false statements

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — A attorney on Friday emailed the Indiana state’s attorney common asking him to quit spreading bogus or deceptive details about an Indianapolis health care provider who performed an abortion in June on a 10-12 months-old rape target from Ohio.

Legal professional Kathleen DeLaney sent the “cease and desist” letter to Indiana Republican Legal professional Basic Todd Rokita on behalf of obstetrician-gynecologist Caitlin Bernard, who carried out a health care abortion on the female.

The letter states Rokita’s statements Wednesday on Fox Information “cast Dr. Bernard in a fake light-weight and allege misconduct in her profession.” DeLaney claimed the medical doctor could file a defamation claim versus Rokita if he does not comply.

Rokita instructed Fox that he would look into no matter if Bernard violated baby abuse notification or abortion reporting regulations. He also explained his business office would appear into regardless of whether nearly anything Bernard claimed to the Indianapolis Star about the case violated federal health-related privacy rules. He offered no distinct allegations of wrongdoing.

Documents obtained by The Linked Push and other local media show Bernard submitted the report July 2, which is within the state’s essential a few-working day reporting interval for an abortion executed on a female youthful than 16.

“We are especially concerned that, offered the controversial political context of the statements, such inflammatory accusations have the prospective to incite harassment or violence from the public which could protect against Dr. Bernard, an Indiana certified physician, from giving care to her patents safely and securely,” the letter states.

A 27-calendar year-old gentleman has been billed in the girl’s rape, confirming the case that was scrutinized by Republican politicians and some media shops. Those reactions grew in intensity after Democratic President Joe Biden expressed sympathy for the girl when signing an government purchase shielding some abortion accessibility last week.

“Like any correspondence, it will be reviewed if and when it comes. Irrespective, no untrue or deceptive statements have been created,” Kelly Stevenson, a spokesperson in Rokita’s office environment, explained via e mail.

Bernard tweeted Friday that she hopes “to be able to share my story quickly.”

“It has been a hard 7 days, but my colleagues and I will continue to present healthcare ethically, lovingly, and bravely each individual and every working day,” she wrote.

Dr. Diana Contreras, chief overall health treatment officer at Planned Parenthood Federation of The us, issued a assertion saying, “No clinical supplier need to be harassed, intimidated, or criminalized for undertaking their position. It is unconscionable and unacceptable, and we condemn it in the strongest possible terms.”

___

This tale was to start with revealed on July 15, 2022. It was current on July 17, 2022, to right responses produced by Attorney Basic Todd Rokita about obstetrician-gynecologist Caitlin Bernard associated to an abortion she executed on a 10-year-old youngster abuse sufferer.

___

Arleigh Rodgers is a corps member for the Involved Press/Report for The us Statehouse Information Initiative. Report for The us is a nonprofit national company plan that sites journalists in regional newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Stick to Arleigh Rodgers on Twitter.