PUBLISHER'S NOTE: In recent years, I have taken on the theme of 'criminalizing reproduction' - a natural theme for a Blog concerned with flawed science in its myriad forms - as I am utterly appalled by the current movement in the United States (and some other countries) emboldened by the overturning of Roe V Wade, towards imprisoning and conducting surveillance on women and their physicians and others who help them secure a safe abortion, on the basis of sham science (or any other basis). I can’t remember the source, but agree totally with the sentiment that control over their reproductive lives is far too important to women in America - or anywhere else - so they can participate equally in the economic and social life of their nations without fear for loss their freedom at the hands of political opportunists and fanatics. (Far too many of those those around these days.) '
Harold Levy: Publisher; The Charles Smith Blog.
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PASSAGE OF THE DAY: "Despite the fact that this bill would, in fact, jail women, South Carolina’s ‘abolitionists’ were out in full effect—complaining that the legislation doesn’t go far enough. (More on that in a moment.) It’s hard not to see this as a test case for Republicans—both in and out of South Carolina. Lawmakers across the country have been dancing around punishing women for abortion: they clearly want to do it, they’re itching for it. But they’re also smart enough to know that supporting a bill that would execute women is a good way to have voters turn on you. But, these legislators think, maybe those same voters won’t notice if they just sprinkle in a dash of punishment."
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PASSAGE TWO OF THE DAY: "At the end of the day, jailing abortion patients is jailing abortion patients. It’s not the number of years you throw a woman in prison for that voters care about—it’s the fact that you’d cross that line to begin with."
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COMMENTARY: "The Test Case For Punishing Abortion Patients," by Jessica Valenti and co-author Kylie Cheung, published by 'Abortion, Every Day', on April 17, 2026. Jessica Valenti: Feminist writer, NYC native. 8 books, 1 kid & a lot of opinions. My latest book, Abortion, is out now: prh.com/abortion.
GIST: "South Carolina Republicans advanced legislation this week that would ban abortion for rape and incest victims, force women to carry nonviable pregnancies to term, and imprison abortion patients. Happy Friday!
The bill comes from Sen. Richard Cash, who tried and failed last year to advance a bill that would punish patients as murderers—which in South Carolina could mean the death penalty. Apparently, SB 1095 is his version of a “compromise”—legislation that would ‘only’ charge abortion patients with a misdemeanor: jail for a few years, rather than a lifetime.
Despite emotional testimony from healthcare providers and women, South Carolina’s Senate medical affairs subcommittee pushed the legislation through on Wednesday in a 4-2 vote along party lines. Republicans weren’t even moved when their colleague Sen. Margie Bright Matthews—the sole woman on the panel of lawmakers—shared her own experience with an unexpected pregnancy. (Matthews also called Cash’s claim that women use abortion as birth control “the most idiotic thing I’ve ever heard”—forever earning a place in my heart.)
I also loved this moment from the testimony of Vicki Ringer, director of Public Affairs at Planned Parenthood South Atlantic:
Despite the fact that this bill would, in fact, jail women, South Carolina’s ‘abolitionists’ were out in full effect—complaining that the legislation doesn’t go far enough. (More on that in a moment.)
It’s hard not to see this as a test case for Republicans—both in and out of South Carolina. Lawmakers across the country have been dancing around punishing women for abortion: they clearly want to do it, they’re itching for it. But they’re also smart enough to know that supporting a bill that would execute women is a good way to have voters turn on you.
But, these legislators think, maybe those same voters won’t notice if they just sprinkle in a dash of punishment.
At the end of the day, jailing abortion patients is jailing abortion patients. It’s not the number of years you throw a woman in prison for that voters care about—it’s the fact that you’d cross that line to begin with.
We’ll have more for you on SB 1095 next week, and all the other horrible things it includes. (Like criminalizing abortion funding, expanding abortion reporting, and pushing through a ‘Baby Olivia’ mandate.)"
The entire story can be read at:
PUBLISHER'S NOTE: I am monitoring this case/issue/resource. Keep your eye on the Charles Smith Blog for reports on developments. The Toronto Star, my previous employer for more than twenty incredible years, has put considerable effort into exposing the harm caused by Dr. Charles Smith and his protectors - and into pushing for reform of Ontario's forensic pediatric pathology system. Please send any comments or information on other cases and issues of interest to the readers of this blog to: hlevy15@gmail.com. Harold Levy: Publisher: The Charles Smith Blog.
FINAL WORD: (Applicable to all of our wrongful conviction cases): "Whenever there is a wrongful conviction, it exposes errors in our criminal legal system, and we hope that this case — and lessons from it — can prevent future injustices."Lawyer Radha Natarajan: Executive Director: New England Innocence Project;
FINAL, FINAL WORD: "Since its inception, the Innocence Project has pushed the criminal legal system to confront and correct the laws and policies that cause and contribute to wrongful convictions. They never shied away from the hard cases — the ones involving eyewitness identifications, confessions, and bite marks. Instead, in the course of presenting scientific evidence of innocence, they've exposed the unreliability of evidence that was, for centuries, deemed untouchable." So true!Christina Swarns: Executive Director: The Innocence Project;
