Death Row For Doctors? Absurd - But Possible

That's the title of an editorial in today's Austin American-Statesman about the prospect envisioned by some Texas prosecutors as an unintended consequence of changes in state law.  LINK 

This interpretation of the law, which even abortion activists reject, is worrisome. Remember, abortion itself remains legal, even constitutionally protected under several U.S. Supreme Court rulings. Lawmakers say they never intended to make doctors vulnerable to a capital murder charge, but this is Texas, where an ambitious prosecutor in a strongly anti-abortion county might well decide to score some political points by bringing just such a case if the opportunity arose.

State Rep. David Swinford, chairman of the House State Affairs Committee, doesn't think the association is right — but he's concerned enough to have asked Attorney General Greg Abbott for a formal legal opinion.

And:

Sarah Wheat, spokeswoman for NARAL Pro-Choice Texas, said she welcomed the request for the attorney general's opinion because "when it comes to abortion, you can't assume anything."

Wheat is right. Somewhere in Texas a prosecutor is looking at the new abortion law and thinking, "Hmm . . ."

Our earlier coverage is here and here.