The Kansas Supreme Court announced last week that it will hear arguments on three subpoenas for patient records by the grand jury investigating Dr George Tiller on April 8th. The court maintained its earlier order temporarily blocking the subpoenas, and ordered the grand jury not issue any more subpoenas for Dr. Tillers patients medical records, reports the Associated Press.
The grand jury has subpoenaed medical records of approximately 2,000 women from Dr. Tillers Wichita clinic, as well as records for another 60 of Dr. Tillers patients from Kansas Attorney General Stephen Six’s office. Sixs office obtained those records through a previous investigation. Both Dr. Tiller and Kansas Attorney General Six fought the subpoenas to protect Dr. Tillers patients privacy.
“We are very pleased that the highest court of the state views the privacy rights of women patients so protectively as to undertake a careful examination of the important issues involved,” Dan Monnat, one of the attorneys for Dr. Tillers clinic, told the Associated Press.
Dr. Tiller is one of the few late-term abortion providers available for women with troubled pregnancies and complicated health problems. This investigation was convened last month as the result of a petition drive led by the anti-abortion extremist group Operation Rescue. Kansas is one of six states that allow citizens to petition for a grand jury to convene. Previous investigations into Dr. Tiller’s clinic have not produced evidence of any wrong-doing.
You can help! Donate to help Dr. Tiller’s legal defense fund!
