SAN FRANCISCO - Sandra 'Susan' Merritt has filed a Motion to Dismiss asking the San Francisco Superior Court to dismiss the politically-motivated criminal complaint brought against her by the State of California, because it is legally deficient.
Liberty Counsel is defending Merritt and seeks dismissal of the 15 felony charges brought against her for her undercover work in exposing Planned Parenthood's unethical and potentially illegal profiteering from the sale of aborted baby body parts. California Attorney General Xavier Becerra filed these charges against Merritt, claiming that her undercover video recordings violated California law because she did not obtain Planned Parenthood's "consent" prior to exposing its gruesome schemes. To date, no other citizen journalist or journalism organization has ever been charged with a crime for undercover recordings.
The Attorney General, who has received thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from Planned Parenthood, claims that Merritt and David Daleiden filmed 14 people without permission between October 2013 and July 2015 in Los Angeles, San Francisco and the county of El Dorado. One felony count was filed for each person filmed. The 15th charge was for "criminal conspiracy" to invade "privacy." However, the videos produced by Merritt and Daleiden exposed unethical and potentially illegal conduct by Planned Parenthood, and Planned Parenthood itself has admitted, under oath, that the recorded conversations took place in "non-confidential" and public venues.
"The State of California made it clear that it will spare no expense to convict Sandra Merritt and put her in jail for 11 years," said Horatio Mihet, Liberty Counsel's Vice President of Legal Affairs and Chief Litigation Counsel. "But we have asked to have these outrageous and baseless charges dismissed. Sandra broke no law. Corrupt politicians who have their hands in the pockets of Planned Parenthood should not be allowed to abuse the power of their office to carry out Planned Parenthood's retribution for being exposed," said Mihet.
Liberty Counsel is an international nonprofit, litigation, education, and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of life, and the family since 1989, by providing pro bono assistance and representation on these and related topics.
