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Louisiana seeks extradition of New York doctor accused of aiding in mail-order abortion

6 hours 35 seconds ago Wednesday, February 12 2025 Feb 12, 2025 February 12, 2025 4:48 PM February 12, 2025 in News
Source: WBRZ

BATON ROUGE — Louisiana's attorney general said Wednesday she had filed paperwork requesting the extradition of a New York doctor accused of supplying abortion-causing drugs to West Baton Rouge Parish to face criminal charges.

New York's governor said previously that her state would not comply.

The WBRZ Investigative Unit reported last month that a grand jury meeting at Port Allen had indicted a doctor, her clinic and a Port Allen woman on claims they took part in a mail-order abortion. The victim was a Louisiana minor whom prosecutors said wanted to give birth.

Dr. Margaret D. Carpenter of New Paltz, New York, and the Nightingale Medical Clinic are accused of mailing an abortion-inducing drug to Louisiana, where the Port Allen woman made her daughter take the medicine.

The girl, left alone, suffered complications as the drug took effect and required emergency care. WBRZ is not identifying the local woman charged to conceal the identity of the girl. The prosecutor said the pregnancy was so far along that "this was obviously a baby."

Most abortions in Louisiana — including those inducted by chemicals — have been illegal since the U.S. Supreme Court in 2022 overturned Roe vs. Wade, which since 1973 had provided a right to abortions under the U.S. Constitution.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said Jan. 31 that her state would not comply with an extradition request, calling New York a state that would provide "safe harbor" to doctors facilitating abortions in other states. There was no answer to telephone calls made to Carpenter's clinic.

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said Wednesday that she had sent extradition paperwork to New York on Tuesday. 

"We will take any and all legal actions to enforce the criminal laws of this state," she said.

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