American Coalition of Life Activists
Encyclopedia
The American Coalition of Life Activists (ACLA) was a pro-life
advocacy group
that was the subject of controversy for its series of Wanted-style
posters.
During a 1995 meeting, the group unveiled a "wanted" poster that listed the names and addresses of a "Deadly Dozen" abortion providers. The poster accused them of "crimes against humanity
" and offered a $5,000 reward for the "arrest, conviction and revocation of license to practice medicine" of these physicians. The poster was published in Life Advocate magazine. A second poster targeted a specific person, Dr. Robert Crist, offered a reward for persuading him "to turn from his child killing," and included his name, address, and photo.
In 1996 it revealed its "Nuremberg Files" which included dossiers on abortion providers, politician
s, judge
s, clinic employee
s and other abortion rights supporters
. The ACLA claimed that these dossiers could be used for trials for "crimes against humanity" when the nation's laws
changed to prohibit abortion. Neal Horsley
, an activist, published the information on his website. His website greyed the names of those injured and crossed out the names of those killed by anti-abortion terrorists.
Although the posters and website did not contain any specific threat, Planned Parenthood
successfully sued the ACLA and was awarded more than $100 million by a jury. The ACLA appealed the verdict on First Amendment
grounds. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals
overturned the verdict. The activities of the ACLA were held to be protected under the First Amendment because they did not directly threaten harm to the plaintiffs, and because the ACLA's statements were not communicated privately to the plaintiffs. In an en banc
rehearing, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals held that the ACLA could be held liable in damages because the website made a threat unprotected by the First Amendment.
Pro-life
Opposition to the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-life, or anti-abortion, movement, a social and political movement opposing elective abortion on moral grounds and supporting its legal prohibition or restriction...
advocacy group
Advocacy group
Advocacy groups use various forms of advocacy to influence public opinion and/or policy; they have played and continue to play an important part in the development of political and social systems...
that was the subject of controversy for its series of Wanted-style
Wanted poster
A wanted poster is a poster distributed to let the public know of an alleged criminal whom authorities wish to apprehend. They will generally include either a picture of the alleged criminal when a photograph is available, or of a facial composite image produced by a police artist...
posters.
During a 1995 meeting, the group unveiled a "wanted" poster that listed the names and addresses of a "Deadly Dozen" abortion providers. The poster accused them of "crimes against humanity
Crime against humanity
Crimes against humanity, as defined by the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court Explanatory Memorandum, "are particularly odious offenses in that they constitute a serious attack on human dignity or grave humiliation or a degradation of one or more human beings...
" and offered a $5,000 reward for the "arrest, conviction and revocation of license to practice medicine" of these physicians. The poster was published in Life Advocate magazine. A second poster targeted a specific person, Dr. Robert Crist, offered a reward for persuading him "to turn from his child killing," and included his name, address, and photo.
In 1996 it revealed its "Nuremberg Files" which included dossiers on abortion providers, politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
s, judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
s, clinic employee
Abortion clinic
An abortion clinic is a medical facility that primarily performs or specializes in abortions. Such clinics may be public medical centers or private medical practices.-Canada:*There were 197 abortion providers in Canada in 2001....
s and other abortion rights supporters
Pro-choice
Support for the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-choice movement, a sociopolitical movement supporting the ethical view that a woman should have the legal right to elective abortion, meaning the right to terminate her pregnancy....
. The ACLA claimed that these dossiers could be used for trials for "crimes against humanity" when the nation's laws
Abortion in the United States
Abortion in the United States has been legal in every state since the United States Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade, on January 22, 1973...
changed to prohibit abortion. Neal Horsley
Neal Horsley
Otis O'Neal Horsley, Jr. is a militant anti-abortionist known for producing a website which provided the home addresses of abortion providers in the United States, for admitting on Fox News television to practising bestiality in his youth, and for being arrested on charges of terroristic threats...
, an activist, published the information on his website. His website greyed the names of those injured and crossed out the names of those killed by anti-abortion terrorists.
Although the posters and website did not contain any specific threat, Planned Parenthood
Planned Parenthood
Planned Parenthood Federation of America , commonly shortened to Planned Parenthood, is the U.S. affiliate of the International Planned Parenthood Federation and one of its larger members. PPFA is a non-profit organization providing reproductive health and maternal and child health services. The...
successfully sued the ACLA and was awarded more than $100 million by a jury. The ACLA appealed the verdict on First Amendment
Freedom of speech in the United States
Freedom of speech in the United States is protected by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution and by many state constitutions and state and federal laws, with the exception of obscenity, defamation, incitement to riot, and fighting words, as well as harassment, privileged...
grounds. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit is a U.S. federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:* District of Alaska* District of Arizona...
overturned the verdict. The activities of the ACLA were held to be protected under the First Amendment because they did not directly threaten harm to the plaintiffs, and because the ACLA's statements were not communicated privately to the plaintiffs. In an en banc
En banc
En banc, in banc, in banco or in bank is a French term used to refer to the hearing of a legal case where all judges of a court will hear the case , rather than a panel of them. It is often used for unusually complex cases or cases considered to be of greater importance...
rehearing, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals held that the ACLA could be held liable in damages because the website made a threat unprotected by the First Amendment.