Bishops Fine-Tune Dallas; Root Causes Come Next

Pro-Life Nurse Keeps Her Job

WASHINGTON TIMES , Nov. 4 — Louisiana health officials have decided to accommodate a public-health nurse whom they earlier threatened to fire for refusing to dispense the “morning-after” pill.

The nurse, Cynthia Day, filed formal complaints on Oct. 23, charging employment discrimination on the basis of her religious beliefs. The assistant secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals wrote a letter dated Oct. 25 to Day, rescinding the health department's threat to fire her.

The health department will allow Day to select a new job from a listing of reassignment opportunities, reported the Washington daily.

Praying Pro-Life Technician Sues

M INNEAPOLIS STAR TRIBUNE , Nov. 5 — A pro-life medical technician who was fired for encouraging a patient not to have an abortion is suing his employer.

Donald Grant, an ultrasound technician, saw on a pregnant patient's chart last April that she was considering abortion. He asked the woman if she would pray with him and, after their prayer, he encouraged her to carry her baby to term. The patient was not offended, according to the lawsuit.

Grant was fired days later for “going outside the scope of his position.” Now he's filed suit against Fairview Health Services, where he has worked for two years, for religious discrimination.

According to the Minnesota daily, Grant argued in the suit that Fairview could have accommodated his religious beliefs by not including information about abortion on forms sent to him or by transferring him to another position that doesn't involve abortion.

Abortion Clinic Pays Damages

THOMAS MORE LAW CENTER , Nov. 6 — The Madison Abortion Clinic in Madison, Wis., has been ordered to pay damages in a civil case brought by a pro-lifer who was attacked by a staff member of the abortion facility.

In December 2001, Will Goodman delivered a letter affirming the dignity of all human life to Dennis Christensen, the abortionist, and his staff.

Soon after, as Goodman was quietly handing out information on crisis-pregnancy resources to women in the clinic's waiting room, he was tackled by a member of the clinic staff and held in a headlock. A security officer then pulled Goodman to the ground and forcefully put him in handcuffs.

Goodman was awarded an undisclosed amount. He pledged to donate the money to pregnant mothers in need.

Women Can Sue

NEW ORLEANS TIMES-PICAYUNE , Nov. 5 — The Louisiana Supreme Court has refused to consider a case attacking a 1997 pro-life law that gives women up to 10 years to sue over injuries they or their unborn children suffer as a result of unsuccessful abortions.

The law puts no limit on the amount of money a woman can win in a lawsuit against an abortion practitioner for a botched abortion.