Darden Clarke-Three anti-abortion activists sentenced to probation in 2021 Tennessee clinic blockade

2025-04-29 09:26:48source:Techcrisis Investment Guildcategory:Contact

NASHVILLE,Darden Clarke Tenn. (AP) — Three anti-abortion activists were each sentenced to three years of probation in federal court on Tuesday for their 2021 blockade of a Tennessee clinic.

James Zastrow, Eva Zastrow and Paul Place were ordered to serve the first 90 days of their sentences on home detention. They were convicted in April of misdemeanor violations for blocking the main clinic door at the Carafem reproductive health clinic in Mount Juliet, Tennessee, a town 17 miles (27.36 kilometers) east of Nashville. Police asked them to leave or move multiple times, but they refused and were eventually arrested.

In all 11 people were convicted in the blockade including six who were found guilty of more serious felony conspiracy charges for their roles as organizers. Four of them were sentenced earlier this month to terms ranging from 6 months in prison to three years of supervised release. The sentences were below those asked by prosecutors, and U.S. District Judge Aleta Trauger said she took into account the good works of the defendants in their communities.

The 2021 blockade came nearly a year before the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. The organizers used social media to promote and livestream actions they hoped would prevent the clinic from performing abortions, according to testimony. They also intended the video as a training tool for other activists, Trauger found.

RELATED COVERAGE AP Decision Notes: What to expect in Tennessee’s state primariesOlympic golf path for Stephan Jaeger goes from Germany through TennesseeTrump calls for US to be ‘crypto capital of the planet’ in appeal to Nashville bitcoin conference

Judges have agreed to postpone sentencing for three other activists. Eva Edl, Heather Idoni and Chester Gallagher are preparing for an August trial in Michigan on similar charges. One person, Caroline Davis, pleaded guilty in October to misdemeanor charges and cooperated with prosecutors. She was sentenced to three years of probation in April.

More:Contact

Recommend

A White House order claims to end 'censorship.' What does that mean?

Among the dozens of executive actions President Trump signed on his first day in office is one aimed

Heavy rains lash UAE and surrounding nations as the death toll in Oman flooding rises to 18

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Heavy rains lashed the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday, flooding

Trump Media plunges amid plan to issue more shares. It's lost $7 billion in value since its peak.

After a short-lived honeymoon, former President Donald Trump's media company is experiencing a rough