High Court Says Inmate May Have Abortion

Missouri officials must let a pregnant inmate have an abortion, the Supreme Court said Monday, rejecting an appeal by Republican Gov. Matt Blunt.

The state argued that taxpayers should not have to pick up the tab for transporting the woman to an abortion clinic.

Blunt criticized the court, saying its decision “is highly offensive to traditional Missouri values and is contrary to state law, which prohibits taxpayer dollars from being spent to facilitate abortions.”

The Republican governor earlier had denounced what he called “an outrageous order from an activist federal judge” who sided with the inmate. He called a special session this fall to pass new restrictions on abortion and has promised to work with abortion foes on more laws.

The inmate, known only as Jane Roe, is 16 or 17 weeks pregnant, her lawyers said. She found out she was pregnant after being arrested on a parole violation and sued the state after her attempts to get an abortion were rebuffed.

Missouri bars abortions after 22 weeks.

U.S. District Judge Dean Whipple in Missouri had ordered the state to transport the woman on the 80-mile trip from her cell in Vandalia to a St. Louis clinic.

The Supreme Court declined to overrule Whipple, following an unusual last-minute appeal from Missouri and the temporary intervention of Justice Clarence Thomas.

The woman has said she would borrow money for the abortion from friends and family but could not afford transportation. The travel costs are estimated at $350 for two guards plus fuel.

Whipple modified his order Monday to require the state to transport the woman to get an abortion by Friday.