Choking Assault on Prolife Woman - Prosecution Refused Case

ON a warm summer day, I was, as usual, in front of the busiest abortion center in the Southeast, A Preferred Women Health Center at 3220 Latrobe Drive. A young pro-life advocate who is not connected with our ministry but a lovely voice for the unborn, was watching a disturbing drama unfold in the center parking lot. A woman had been repeatedly vomiting for half an hour.  Naomi was growing increasingly upset, begging the security bouncers to call someone to help this woman. No one offered assistance.

Finally, Naomi walked quietly across the lot to the woman and knelt beside her asking how she could help. Without a word, the female bouncer who is charged to prevent violence, began beating Naomi on her back and then put her in a choke hold. I immediately called 911 and described what was happening. Quickly, the bouncer dragged Naomi in the choke hold across the lot and then threw her onto the sidewalk.

While we waited for the police, the bouncer ran away. I took photos of the red streaks on Naomi’s neck. The following day, she ended up in the hospital due to swelling and breathing issues. Charges were filed for felony assault.

The next day, that bouncer was back at her post.

This happened in July. While waiting for a court date to be set, there have been two trials of pro-life folks being prosecuted in Mecklenburg County Court. One was a pastor who told a pro-choice woman who was speaking over a megaphone to children about masturbation that she was “dead in her sins”. He was arrested and charged with threats of violence. If he lost the case, he would be thrown in jail for speaking scripture. The second was of a young man who stepped on the public sidewalk alongside a car that had stopped for him to hand the driver our literature. He was charged with dangerous interference of traffic. There was no other car in sight, by the way. I asked the policeman to define interference but he told me it was not defined, but left intentionally vague to give them flexibility.

The cases went to trial on two consecutive days. In the first case involving Pastor Flip Benham, there was no photo, no video, no proof of any threat or threatening behavior and fifteen police officers were on site watching the incident. None showed the slightest concern over Flip’s comment, quoting scripture as he always does. The plaintiff never approached a single police officer with concerns for her safety. The case was still deemed worthy of the District Attorney to prosecute. The second case was also thought to be of significant enough concern for the safety and welfare of our city to be prosecuted. 

In both cases, prosecution lost. In the second one, it was dismissed by the judge after the police officer testified. No other witnesses were needed for the judge to determine the case was ludicrous.

The very next day, after MONTHS of the evidence of the assault case being available to prosecution which included pictures, videos, at least twenty eye witnesses to the assault, hospital records, and the bouncer running from the scene....the prosecution says the case is dropped due to “not enough evidence.”

Folks, if this angers you, please feel free to call the District Attorney office of Mecklenburg County to register your concern. ( 704) 686-0700. We tried to do so and the DA office told us to call the Sheriff’s office. The Sheriff’s office told us to call the DA’s office. Are you sensing a problem here?

 If you would like to alert any media friends you may have, or call city council members, or share this blog far and wide, please do so. It sure looks to me like whether one is granted one’s day in court is determined by where you stand on the issue of abortion rather than the salient facts and evidence.

Micah 6:8 

He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?