HotSpots (Security Briefings): January, 2007

Washington  01/29–01/31/07  Members of “Show the Truth Washington” protested outside several Planned Parenthood locations. 

Buffalo, NY  01/25/07  James Kopp was convicted on federal charges of violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act in the murder of Dr. Barnett Slepian in 1998.  Kopp, who served as his own attorney in this case, has already been convicted of the murder in state court and is serving a 25-years-to-life sentence.  Sentencing in this case is scheduled for June 2007.

Iowa  01/24/07  David Robert McMenemy pleaded guilty to federal arson charges resulting from the September 11, 2006, incident in which he drove his car through the front door of an Iowa prenatal care clinic and set it on fire.  McMenemy stated that he thought it was an abortion clinic.  A federal district court judge will have to approve the plea before he can be sentenced.  McMenemy faces a minimum of five years in federal prison, with a maximum of 20 years.

National  01/22/07  There was protest activity in Washington DC, as well as San Francisco, Wichita, Norfolk, and elsewhere on this 34th anniversary of the US Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision.

Pennsylvania  01/22/07  A Planned Parenthood executive received a profane, anti-choice e-mail following the publication of an op-ed piece the executive had authored.

Nebraska  01/19/07  Protesters outside a Planned Parenthood health center blocked the driveway to the parking lot and refused to move when asked.  Law enforcement was called and ticketed the protesters.

Oklahoma  01/19/07  A Planned Parenthood affiliate staff member received a harassing call regarding the affiliate’s Roe v.Wade event. 

Oklahoma  01/09/07  A woman called a Planned Parenthood health center claiming she was a songwriter who had written a song about abortion from the point of view of a fetus. 

Alaska  01/06/07  A large rock was thrown at the waiting-room window of a Planned Parenthood health center, shattering it completely. 

New York  01/04/07  A regular protester took photos of Planned Parenthood volunteer escorts and threatened them with a lawsuit.