Lawyer’s mission: Translate Tenn.'s bewildering abortion ban
Associated PressKNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Chloe Akers considers herself a grizzled criminal defense attorney. “That’s the most frustrating part about this whole endeavor is feeling like I’m on a merry-go-round, going round and round.” When she first began her tour, she thought of it as a pragmatic, apolitical effort to explain the law without the fervor of the abortion wars. “But I have seen cases that would make your skin crawl.” She’s watched the courts throw the book at mentally ill clients, homeless veterans, children, people struggling with addiction. The law mandates doctors prove only that the abortion in their “good faith medical judgment” was necessary “to prevent the death of the pregnant woman or to prevent serious risk of substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function.” That gives them wide berth, Brewer thinks — it doesn’t require death be imminent and it doesn’t mean every decision will be second-guessed. I’m not really excited about now risking my liberty and freedom in order to take care of patients here when it has become very clear I am no longer welcome,” she said, “even though I know people need me.” She wants to stay.
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