An Alabama health inspector has advised state health officials to keep a closed Birmingham abortion clinic closed. But one pro-lifer tells OneNewsNow it is still a mystery whether the facility has actually stopped providing services.
The New Woman All Women Health clinic, owned by Diane Derzis, was shut down by the state after several abortion patients were sent to hospitals on the same day. A subsequent inspection resulted in 76 pages of violations. Dana Cody of the Life Legal Defense Foundation (LLDF) tells OneNewsNow Derzis has tried to reopen under the name of a friend, Kelley Rain-Water.
"The consent order that Derzis signed clearly stated that the license couldn't be issued to anyone that was associated with her," Cody reports.
Although Rain-Water plans to renegotiate the terms of the lease to reopen the clinic, Cody expects the health department to uphold its initial decision. However, as OneNewsNow reported last week there is reason to suspect the clinic is not complying with the state's orders.
"They're still advertising that they provide abortions … it's on their website and their voicemail," she details. "So we just sent a letter to the Alabama attorney general, asking them to investigate, because it's obviously false advertising."
The LLDF spokesperson adds that pro-lifers are keeping a close watch on the clinic, and any violation of the state order will be acted upon.
Derzis owns three other abortion clinics, including the sole abortuary in Mississippi, which has faced multiple closure attempts by the state.
In Alabama, Brian Hale, deputy general counsel, says the upcoming opinion of a hearing officer is not the final word, but it is a recommendation to the state health officer. A final ruling will be issued this month.