Bogus Charges Dismissed against Chicago Sidewalk Counselor

Posted by John Jansen (August 28, 2012 at 2:43 pm)

Pro-life sidewalk counselor Anna Marie Mesia was arrested outside a Chicago abortion clinic July 26 for an alleged act of simple battery committed the previous day—when she wasn't even there [Photo by John Jansen]

Charges were dismissed this morning against pro-life sidewalk counselor Anna Marie Mesia, who was arrested by Chicago Police July 26 for an act of “simple battery” allegedly committed outside of the Albany Medical/Surgical Center abortion facility the previous day — when she wasn’t even there.

As previously reported, Mesia was among a group of pro-lifers who were praying and sidewalk counseling outside the Albany facility on the morning of July 26 when two Chicago Police cars arrived around 10:15 a.m., and three officers entered the building.

Five minutes later they came back out, along with Albany administrator Diana Maracich, who pointed out the 64-year old Mesia. Officer Julie Felsenthal then approached her.

Officer Felsenthal told her that she was not allowed to touch anyone. Anna Marie replied that she hadn’t touched anyone. Officer Felsenthal then told Anna Marie the police had received a complaint that she had touched someone the previous day (Wednesday, July 25), and that she was under arrest.

Anna Marie said that she wasn’t even there that day — and, in fact, hadn’t been there since the previous Thursday, July 19.

But her protests were of no avail, and she was arrested anyway.

Case Dismissed

Mesia was represented in Cook County Circuit Court by the Chicago-based Thomas More Society Pro-Life Law Center. The judge had no choice but to dismiss the case against her because neither Maracich — officially listed in the arrest report as a witness — nor any alleged victim appeared in court.

Imagine that.

As for Mesia, she’s been back at sidewalk counseling since the day after she was arrested, and her resolve has only been strengthened by the experience of her wrongful arrest.

If the intention of the abortion clinic was to scare off the highly effective Mesia from continuing sidewalk counseling, they’ve failed miserably.

What’s more, Albany Medical/Surgical Center may soon find itself served with a malicious prosecution lawsuit.

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Tags: albany medical surgical center, anna marie mesia, diana maracich Posted in Clinic Witness, Law and Politics, Our Civil Rights, Sidewalk Counseling. Follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.