Two district attorneys from Mississippi have stated that they will not prosecute community members over abortion cases despite the implementation of the state’s newest trigger law.
The trigger law completely bans abortion across the Magnolia State except in confirmed cases of rape or if the mother’s life is at risk.
Despite the recent certification of the law and the overturning of the landmark Roe v. Wade case, attorneys Jody Owens and Shameca Collins have expressed that they will be joining 90 other district and state attorneys from 31 states to not prosecute abortion-related cases.
In Mississippi, Owens serves as the district attorney in Hinds County and Collins is District Six’s attorney for Adams, Amite, Franklin, and Wilkinson counties.
The two district attorneys signed a statement, which was later published on June 24 by Fair and Just Prosecution, saying that they pledge to not prosecute people who seek, provide, or aid an individual in receiving an abortion.
“All members of our communities are our clients – they elected us to represent them and we are bound to fight for them as we carry out our obligation to pursue justice,” prosecutors said in the statement. “Our legislatures may decide to criminalize personal healthcare decisions, but we remain obligated to prosecute only those cases that serve the interests of justice and the people.”
Other attorneys included in the statement are from states such as Georgia, Alabama, Texas, Tennessee, and Louisiana.
To see the full statement and list of who has signed the pledge, click here.
