Madison, Dane Co. authorities will not arrest abortion providers [View all]

Madison, Dane Co. authorities will not arrest abortion providers, DA won’t prosecute post-Roe reversal

Sheriff says department doesn't have the time or resources to investigate 'medical procedures', will focus on violent crime

Updated: June 24, 2022 7:16 PM by Jaymes Langrehr, Will Kenneally

MADISON, Wis. — Madison police and the Dane County Sheriff’s Office will not be arresting or investigating those providing abortions and the Dane County district attorney says he will not prosecute those cases following the Supreme Court ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade and reverted Wisconsin back to a centuries-old state law that criminalizes the practice.

The 173-year-old law makes providing an abortion a felony, making no exceptions for cases of rape or incest. The penalty for performing abortions outlined in the law is up to six years in prison and a $10,000 fine, but increases to 15 years in prison and a $50,000 fine if the fetus is past sixteen weeks of development.

Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul reiterated Friday that he would not use state resources to help enforce the law. Local district attorneys would be able to prosecute providers under the law, but he discouraged them from doing so.

In an interview with News 3 Now, Kaul said he does not have direct authority to block the decision from impacting Wisconsin women and abortion providers but that he could file lawsuits seeking to have the state’s abortion ban blocked by Wisconsin courts.

More at:

https://www.channel3000.com/mayor-we-will-not-be-arresting-abortion-providers-in-madison/