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Abortion probe story has a hole

By Mark Obbie

AP's Carl Manning is covering a Kansas story destined for national attention. It's on the touchiest of subjects -- abortion regulation, and late-term abortions in particular -- where politics and law are clashing in a criminal investigation. Manning's story is clear and factual, for the most part. The news peg is a potentially controversial ruling by the state's Supreme Court, blocking subpoenas of medical records of women who sought late-term abortions from the doctor who's under investigation. Manning is careful to explain that the court's action is temporary, simply to buy time while preserving the status quo. It mentions privacy concerns, and how both sides see the subpoena battle. It's all pretty balanced and understandable -- except it never mentions what law the abortion provider may have violated. That's the legal reason for the whole investigation, and the fight ultimately boils down to (presumably) different views on whether the doctor broke the law. But what is the law in Kansas? We can only hope the AP adds a graf of explanation at some point. (Via How Appealing.)

Full post as published by Lawbeat on February 05, 2008 (boomark / email).