Law enforcement was quick to construct barricades and post police officers around the U.S. Supreme Court Monday night following a leaked draft opinion from the nation’s most powerful judicial body showing a majority of the justices privately voted to overturn Roe v. Wade.
An initial draft majority opinion written by Justice Samuel A. Alito that has been circulated inside the court and obtained by Politico led pro-choice and pro-life activists to swiftly assemble outside the steps of the Supreme Court. They rallied with signs and chants for their respective stances on the landmark case that provided constitutional protections for abortions in 1973.
“Roe was egregiously wrong from the start,” Justice Alito wrote in his draft opinion. “Its reasoning was exceptionally weak, and the decision has had damaging consequences. And far from bringing about a national settlement of the abortion issue, Roe and Casey have enflamed debate and deepened division.”
Casey refers to Planned Parenthood v. Casey, another abortion-rights case from 1992.
The draft opinion is just that and is not final. A final ruling is expected to come in the coming months. However, given the 6-3 conservative majority, it is highly unlikely that enough justices would switch camps to uphold Roe v. Wade.
“We hold that Roe and Casey must be overruled,” Justice Alito wrote. “It is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the people’s elected representatives.”
• Ramsey Touchberry can be reached at rtouchberry@washingtontimes.com.
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