Louisiana mother pleads not guilty to criminal abortion
Both the mother and the doctor who helped a young woman get an abortion face felony charges for violating Louisiana's abortion ban.
The Louisiana mother charged with violating abortion laws because she helped her daughter get mifepristone online has pleaded not guilty to the crime that could bring her five years in prison.
The woman in question, 39-year-old Ashley Lights, was arraigned on Tuesday. She will have a pretrial hearing on May 5. Attorney Victor Woods represents Lights. Lights faces five years in prison.
According to the Associated Press, in 2024, the mother from Port Allen requested abortion medication online from Carpenter for her daughter, whose age has not been specified. Clayton said the request was made through a questionnaire only and no consultation with the girl.
A “cocktail of pills” was mailed to Lights, who directed her daughter to take the pill, Clayton said. After taking the drug, the girl experienced a medical emergency while alone, called 911, and was transported to the hospital where she was treated. While responding to the emergency, a police officer learned about the pills and, under further investigation, found that a doctor in New York State had supplied the drugs and turned their findings over to Clayton’s office.
In January, a Louisiana grand jury indicted Lights and a New York-based doctor who prescribed medication abortion after a telemedicine consultation with a pregnant teenager. The indictment mentioned Dr. Margaret Carpenter, her company, Nightingale Medical, PC, and the minor’s mother. All three were charged with criminal abortion by means of abortion-inducing drugs, which is a felony. Police issued an arrest warrant for Carpenter.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul refused to extradite the woman to Louisiana, which sets up a major battle within the federal court systems that will test whether the shield laws passed in the state will protect abortion providers there from being prosecuted or sued elsewhere.
I’ve written several articles about the case that feature expert opinion. They’re attached below.
How does the Constitution treat shield laws?
In the wake of Louisiana authorities issuing an arrest warrant for a New York abortion provider, questions abounded about whether New York Gov. Kathy Hochul would have to extradite the woman to the state to face prosecution.
Part 2: How the law looks at the indictment and lawsuit against Dr. Margaret Carpenter
As news of a local abortion doctor’s indictment rocked New York City, lawyers and political observers scrambled to figure out what hypotheticals would play out in a situation where one state demands prosecution and another refuses to extradite.
Part 3: A look at the case of Dr. Margaret Carpenter
It’s become apparent to anyone familiar with the case of Dr. Margaret Carpenter that the eventual outcome will have enormous implications for abortion rights as well as the rule of law.
Part 4: A look at the case of Dr. Margaret Carpenter
An indictment and a civil lawsuit against telemedicine provider Dr. Margaret Carpenter have frightened abortion providers throughout the country.