Doctor who performed abortion on 10-year-old rape victim will sue Indiana AG for defamation

The doctor who carried out the abortion on the 10-year-old rape victim from Ohio has said she plans to sue Indiana’s Attorney General Todd Rokita for false statements made about her.

Dr. Caitlin Bernard performed the abortion on 30th June. This particular abortion was given nationwide attention as the child in question travelled from Ohio to Indiana to receive the procedure due to Ohio’s “trigger laws” preventing her from getting it in her own state, according to Yahoo News.

Rokita made a statement after the abortion was carried out and a suspect was arrested: “Aside from the horror caused here by illegal immigration, we are investigating this situation and are waiting for the relevant documents to prove if the abortion and/or the abuse were reported, as Dr. Caitlin Bernard had requirements to do both under Indiana law.”

Rokita added, “The failure to do so constitutes a crime in Indiana, and her behavior could also affect her licensure. Additionally, if a HIPAA violation did occur, that may affect next steps as well.”

Bernard had sent a cease-and-desist letter to Rokita, but her lawyer, Kathleen DeLaney, filed the lawsuit only a few days after the letter was sent. The lawsuit has not requested a specific monetary amount as it stipulates that “the harm is ongoing.”

“Mr. Rokita’s false and misleading statements about alleged misconduct by Dr. Bernard in her profession constitute defamation,” the lawsuit states. “The statements have been and continue to be published by or on behalf of Mr. Rokita and the Office of the Attorney General.”

Drew Anderson from the Indiana Democratic Party also vented his frustration about the cost burden being passed onto taxpayers as a result of Rokita’s actions. “Hoosier taxpayers will now have to pay for Attorney General Todd Rokita’s national smear campaign against a doctor who helped a 10-year-old rape survivor attain a legal and safe abortion,” Anderson said, per The Associated Press.

A spokesperson for Rokita stated that Bernard’s claim is “baseless” and is merely an attempt to “distract from the important work of the office.”

“Attorney General Rokita and the Office of Attorney General are leaders in the pro-life movement,” spokesperson Kelly Stevenson wrote in an email. “His historic work has further distinguished Indiana as a protector of unborn life and women.”