A Sedgwick County jury began hearing evidence Monday in an unusual case in which four of five abortion protesters are defending themselves on charges that they trespassed at a Wichita abortion clinic. City prosecutor Sharon Dickgrafe told the jury in her opening statement that the five defendants were among a group of 12 people arrested at
Women's Health Care Services. The men were convicted Sept. 13 in Wichita Municipal Court of trespassing and fined $200 apiece. They later appealed their convictions to Sedgwick County District Court and are having their cases heard before a six-person jury. The five defendants are Mark Holick, Bruce Garren, William R. McGinnis, Shawn M. Mumy and Kevin S. Stanfield. Stanfield is represented by Wichita lawyer Rick Macias, but the others are representing themselves. Macias said in his opening statement that most of the defendants simply walked into the clinic parking lot and kneeled to pray.
Posted by Editor at June 14, 2005 10:09 AM
