Lizelle Gonzalez is taking legal action against the Starr County District Attorney’s office and the county itself, seeking over $1 million in damages. Her attorney, Cecilia Garcia, asserts that Gonzalez was not only prosecuted but also persecuted by the DA’s office, raising questions about whether the actions were motivated by personal or political reasons.
The lawsuit centers around Gonzalez’s arrest in April 2022, when the then 26-year-old was charged with murder following the termination of her 19-week pregnancy using the pill misoprostol. Her legal team emphasizes that the case is about the violation of her civil rights and well-being, rather than her reproductive rights.
The lawsuit contends that DA Gocha Ramirez and Assistant DA Alexandria Barela charged Gonzalez despite knowing that Texas law exempts women who have an abortion from murder charges. Gonzalez spent three days in county jail before her charges were dropped.
This legal battle comes after the state bar fined and disciplined Ramirez in February. He was fined $1,250, and his license is under suspension for 12 months.
The case has ignited a debate over the intersection of reproductive and civil rights and the responsibilities of legal authorities in prosecuting such cases. As the lawsuit progresses, it will likely continue to draw attention to these critical issues.
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