Abortionist Riley Arraigned on Murder Charges, Held in Maryland on $300,000 Bail

Contact: Troy Newman, President, 316-841-1700; Cheryl Sullenger, Senior Policy Advisor, 316-516-3034; both with Operation Rescue; info@operationrescue.org

ELKTON, Md., Jan. 20, 2012 /Christian Newswire/ -- Abortionist Nicola Irene Riley was arraigned this morning in a Cecil County court on charges that she murdered a healthy, viable pre-born child during an illegal late-term abortion last year. She has been ordered held on a $300,000 bond at the Cecil County Detention Center.

"Riley is charged with murder in the first degree, the most serious of criminal charges. It is inappropriate for her to be released on bail of any amount. It is our hope that she cannot make bail and will remain behind bars where she belongs," said Troy Newman, President of Operation Rescue and Pro-Life Nation.

Riley's attorneys have filed motions to dismiss the case and have made public statements that the charges were inappropriate since abortion is legal in Maryland.

However, Maryland law does provide for murder charges if a viable pre-born baby is killed in the commission of a crime. The case is feared by abortion advocates because they are concerned that the issues in this case could strike at the heart of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision that decriminalized abortion in America. The 39th memorial of that decision will be marked this weekend.

Also charged is her employer, the notorious Steven Chase Brigham, who was released on $500,000 bail on January 6, 2012.

Brigham and Riley were indicted after a 16-month Grand Jury investigation prompted by a severely botched late-term abortion on a 21-week baby boy that landed the mother in the hospital with injuries that required emergency surgery to save her life. Medical personnel notified police after Riley and Brigham transported the injured women to a nearby emergency room in a private vehicle and then delayed her care while they behaved suspiciously. Police raided the Elkton abortion clinic and discovered the bodies of 35 late-term babies stored in a freezer.

Brigham never held a Maryland medical license. Riley's Maryland license was suspended in September, 2010. It was later discovered by Operation Rescue that Riley had misrepresented to medical boards in three states a previous criminal felony conviction that led to her serving three years in a Federal Military Prison. That information was reported to authorities. Since then, Wyoming forced Riley to surrender her license, the Maryland Board of Physicians filed additional charges against her for lying to obtain licensure, her home state of Utah has banned her from doing abortions in that state.

About Operation Rescue®
Operation Rescue is one of the leading pro-life Christian activist organizations in the nation and has become a strong voice for the pro-life movement in America. Operation Rescue is now headquartered in a former abortion clinic that it bought and closed in 2006. From there, Operation Rescue launches its innovative new strategies across the nation, exposing and closing abortion clinics through peaceful, legal means. Its activities are on the cutting edge of the abortion issue, taking direct action to stop abortion and ultimately restore legal personhood to the pre-born in obedience to biblical mandates. Click here to support Operation Rescue.

About Pro-Life Nation
Pro-Life Nation is an initiative of Operation Rescue that offers a goal-oriented strategy to end abortion. For more visit ProLifeNation.org and read our new booklet that details our strategy.

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