Citation

Charatan F. Br. Med. J. BMJ 1999; 318(7181): 415.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1999, BMJ Publishing Group)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

9974437

PMCID

PMC1114889

Abstract

A coalition of antiabortion protesters in Portland, Oregon (US), has been ordered to pay US$107.9 million in damages to Planned Parenthood, the Portland Feminist Women's Health Center, and a group of physicians. The physicians had filed a civil lawsuit in response to threats made against them on an Internet Website and in "Deadly Dozen" wanted posters listing their names and addresses. One poster offered a $5000 reward to anyone who persuaded a physician to "turn from child killing." An unknown gunman fired shots into this physician's children's playroom in the middle of the night. The jury found that the Website and posters constituted illegal threats of violence under federal law. The president of Planned Parenthood stated, "The jury saw the wanted posters for what they are--a hit list for terrorists."

Language: en