Judge Tatum delays the preliminary hearing two months to allow KS Supreme Court to rule on unprecedented gag order

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this release indicated that Judge Anderson testified that the fetal age had been altered on forms. That is not accurate. Judge Anderson testified that he believed evidence had been "manufactured." This version more accurately relates Judge Anderson's comments. We also misidentified a photo as Judge Anderson. We apologize for the error. -Operation Rescue

Contact: Troy Newman, President, 316-841-1700; Cheryl Sullenger, Senior Policy Advisor, 316-516-3034; both with Operation Rescue, info@operationrescue.org

OLATHE, Kans., May 21 /Christian Newswire/ -- District Attorney Phill Kline has filed a motion this morning with the Kansas Supreme Court asking them to lift their gag order on Judge Richard Anderson and allow him to testify in Kline's criminal prosecution of Planned Parenthood. Later in the morning, Judge Stephen Tatum agreed to delay the criminal case's preliminary hearing until July 21, to allow the Kansas Supreme Court time to rule on the issue that could determine if the criminal case will be able to continue.

On January 16, 2008, Judge Anderson testified before District Court Judge Stephen Tatum that he had reason to believe that "it appears someone has manufactured" part of certain records. Anderson said, "In context (this) could mean that somebody committed a felony in an attempt to cover up a misdemeanor." He further stated that "there is evidence of crimes in those records that needs to be evaluated."

This evidence is central to Kline's 107 criminal charges against Planned Parenthood, which is charged with committing illegal late-term abortions and other crimes. Without Anderson's documents and testimony, Kline's charges would lack the evidence necessary for convictions.

In February, Attorney General Stephen Six asked the Kansas Supreme Court that to allow him to pursue a secret lawsuit against Judge Anderson filed by his predecessor, Paul Morrison in an effort to block Anderson from releasing the incriminating evidence to Kline. In response to Six's efforts, on April 4, the Supreme Court ordered Anderson not to comply with Kline's subpoenas or testify at any hearings.

"Planned Parenthood got caught doing abortions past the legal limit and other crimes, then cooked the books to look like they didn't," said Operation Rescue President Troy Newman.

"At risk is over $300 million in Federal funding annually. In order to qualify for those funds, Planned Parenthood must be able to show their organizations all comply with the law. Planned Parenthood gives millions back to pro-abortion candidates in order to protect their abortion empire" explained Newman. "That is a lot of incentive to enlist political operatives like Gov. Sebelius and Attorney General Six to make sure that Kline's case fails. Over a billion dollars is at stake in this case both for Planned Parenthood and the Democratic Party. There is no doubt that political corruption is at work here. If Sebelius and her cohorts are successful at blocking the prosecution of Planned Parenthood, then she could very well become the next Vice President of the United States."

Background
 
About Operation Rescue
Operation Rescue is one of the leading pro-life Christian activist organizations in the nation.  Operation Rescue recently made headlines when it bought and closed an abortion clinic in Wichita, Kansas and has become the voice of the pro-life activist movement in America.  Its activities are on the cutting edge of the abortion issue, taking direct action to restore legal personhood to the pre-born and stop abortion in obedience to biblical mandates.