Trespass conviction.

Left to right: Robert Kovaly, Matthew Connolly, Monica Miller, Patrice Woodworth, Will Goodman

As a reward for buying flowers and the gall of suggesting that life is worth something, a Jury has decided against a pro life group.

While millions of foreign nationals trespass daily on our sovereign soil, it is those who stood as life’s defenders that were prosecuted for such a violation  Five Red Rose Rescuers;  Monica Migliorino Miller, Will Goodman, Patrice Woodworth, Matthew Connolly, and Robert “Doc” Kovaly were found guilty of trespassing and also interference with an officer (due to their practice of passive resistance) by a 6 person jury Feb. 21, 2018 stemming from their Dec. 2, 2017 pro-life rescue at the Women’s Center abortion center in West Bloomfield, MI. operated by abortionist Jacob Kalo.

They stood trial before Judge Marc Barron in the 48th District Court (4280 Telegraph Rd., West Bloomfield, MI.). He will be will sentencing the pro-life group March 14th at 1:30pm. 

Prior to trial the trial the pro-lifers’ motion for a defense of necessity was denied by Judge Barron. On Dec. 2, 2017 the 5 pro-lifers entered the waiting room of the Women’s Center to talk to the mothers seated in the waiting room and hand them red roses. The pro-lifers argued that their attempt to persuade the mothers scheduled for abortion to turn away from that decision and their mere presence in the clinic as an act of defense for the unborn were acts necessary to prevent greater evils from occurring than the mere violation of the city trespass ordinance.

Prosecutor Larry Sherman requested from Judge Barron that the Women’s Center never be called an “abortion clinic” in an attempt to sanitize the trial from having anything to do with abortion. Barron granted this request. Miller explains: “The victims of abortion, namely the unborn, were kept hidden from the jury and the judge’s rules were designed to stifle any testimony having to do with the reality of abortion.”

“When I took the stand as well as Will Goodman we tried to tell the truth despite the judge’s order to not talk about abortion and the babies—and the mothers we sought to help. This caused many objections from the prosecutor sustained by the judge. Without a defense of necessity the jurors undoubtedly felt constrained to find us “guilty.”

“The unborn, the issue of abortion, the reasons why we went into the waiting room of the Women’s Center abortion clinic of West Bloomfield, MI. were issues the jury was not permitted to consider in weighing our guilt or innocence on the charges we faced.  Sherman emphasized over and over again that this was a  ‘mere trespass case.'”

While on the witness stand Miller felt compelled to tell Sherman:”The problem with you Larry is that you act like the unborn do not exist.”

Roses pro-lifers distributed to women scheduled for abortions Dec. 2, 2017 at the Women’s Center abortion clinic, West Bloomfield, MI

During jury selection it was apparent to many of the prospective jurors that the case nonetheless had “something to do with abortion” and several stated that they did not believe that they could render a fair and impartial verdict. Attorney for the defendants Robert Muise of the American Freedom Law Center dismissed anyone who said they were “pro-choice.” Sherman dismissed anyone who seemed in any way sympathetic to the pro-life position which significantly prolonged the voir dire phase of the trial.

After the verdict was pronounced Barron imposed an additional bond condition on the five pro-lifers–namely that they remain 150 feet from the entrance of every abortion clinic throughout the entire United States pending the March 14th sentencing–a bond condition unprecedented in the history of legalized abortion. Attorney Robert Muise filed a challenge to this restriction of the defendants’ freedom of speech. The motion is pending in the Michigan Appellate Court.

The pro-lifers face a maximum 90 days in jail and $500 fine. Attorney Robert Muise intends to file an appeal. 

Will Goodman states: ” We don”t know exactly what to expect in terms of the penalty. We want leniency of course, but not for ourselves– this case is not about us. We ask Judge Barron to do justice for the unborn–as they are an oppressed class. A light sentence would be their vindication. This is what we hope for and pray for–justice
for the babies.”

In what is expected to be a packed courtroom, all five defendants will present pre-sentencing statements to Judge Barron that focus on abortion and their need to defend the unborn.

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