Judge Metz Orders Sharonville Abortion Facility to Close
Facility Must Close in Five Days Unless It Appeals
SHARONVILLE, Ohio – Today, Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas Judge Jerry Metz upheld two previous orders to close the Lebanon Road Surgery Center, owned by notorious abortionist Martin Haskell, near Cincinnati. The judge did not extend the stay of execution that he approved for the facility during the appeal process, meaning that the clinic could close in the next five days if there is no additional appeal. Martin Haskell, self proclaimed “poster child” of partial birth abortion “Shutting down Haskell’s facility is a long-sought victory for the pro-life movement,” said Stephanie Ranade Krider, executive director of Ohio Right to Life. “As the self-proclaimed ‘poster child’ of partial birth abortion, Martin Haskell has endangered southwest Ohio children for the last 30 years. We are hopeful that this will be the final order that puts Haskell out of business in Sharonville.” In January, the Ohio Department of Health affirmed its order to shut down the facility for failure to have a written transfer agreement with a local hospital or a proper variance. At the end of June, Magistrate Michael Bachman upheld this decision. Following Judge Metz’s concurrence today, the abortion facility may appeal to the First Appellate District Court of Appeals. If the abortion facility obtains a stay from this court, it may remain open. Lebanon Road Surgery Center “This decision is about common-sense, as evidenced by the non-partisan nature of this ruling,” said Krider. “We are grateful to the Ohio Department of Health and the office of Attorney General Mike DeWine, but we are also grateful to Judge Metz, a Democrat, for ensuring that abortionists aren’t skirting basic health and safety regulations.” Ohio Right to Life thanks the leadership from Right to Life of Greater Cincinnati, Dayton Right to Life, and other pro-life advocacy organizations for their constant vigilance at the proceedings in the Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas. Founded in 1967, Ohio Right to Life, with more than 45 local chapters, is Ohio’s oldest and largest grassroots pro-life organization. Recognized as the flagship of the pro-life movement in Ohio, ORTL works through legislation and education to promote and defend innocent human life from conception to natural death.