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ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — On Thursday, New York state denied an extradition request from Louisiana for a physician charged with prescribing abortion pills to a minor, highlighting the ongoing legal tensions surrounding abortion access in the U.S.
Governor Kathy Hochul, a member of the Democratic Party, announced her refusal to comply with Louisiana’s request to apprehend Dr. Maggie Carpenter, citing the state’s strict anti-abortion legislation.
“I will not be signing an extradition order that came from the governor of Louisiana,” Hochul stated during a press event in Manhattan. “Not now, not ever.”
Additionally, Hochul has instructed New York law enforcement not to comply with out-of-state warrants related to similar charges.
Dr. Carpenter’s case marks a significant moment as it represents one of the first criminal indictments against a physician in connection with inter-state abortion pill prescriptions.
Abortion pills are increasingly utilized across the country and have become central to the broader political and legal struggles surrounding reproductive rights, especially in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade.
The unfolding situation between New York and Louisiana is likely to lead to a legal battle that could challenge the state’s shield law. This law offers protections to physicians who provide abortion medications in states with restrictive abortion policies, a measure echoed by other states with Democratic leadership.
Louisiana prosecutors have indicted Carpenter under a stringent abortion law that could result in her facing up to 15 years in prison if found guilty of administering abortions, including medication-based abortions.
According to state authorities, the minor who received the pills experienced a medical emergency requiring hospital transport. The girl’s mother has also been charged and is reported to have turned herself in to law enforcement.
In a press briefing, Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry declared that “there is only one right answer in this situation, and it is that that doctor must face extradition to Louisiana where she can stand trial and justice will be served.”
Following Hochul’s announcement, Landry’s office did not promptly respond to requests for further comments regarding the extradition refusal.
Earlier, Carpenter was also sued by the Texas attorney general under comparable allegations, although that case did not include criminal charges.
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