Tennessee judge rebuked for nixing out-of-state abortion

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – A Tennessee judge has been rebuked for denying the request of a woman on house arrest to travel to Atlanta for an abortion.

The Chattanooga Times Free Press reports the 23-year-old woman was at least 10 weeks pregnant with twins when accepted into General Sessions Court Judge Lila Statom’s Mental Health Court in February. The woman, who had pleaded guilty to theft and domestic assault, asked for permission to get the abortion last week, while on house arrest.

Hamilton County Criminal Court Judge Tom Greenholtz said Monday that Statom injected her personal beliefs in denying that request and violated the woman’s constitutional rights.

Attorney David Barrow said Statom still wouldn’t resolve the case, so he left the woman’s probation officer a message and drove her to Atlanta himself Wednesday.

Chattanooga hasn’t had an abortion clinic since 1993.

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Information from: Chattanooga Times Free Press, http://www.timesfreepress.com