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BEGINS WITH BREAKING NEWS. AND WE CONTINUE WITH THE BREAKING NEWS OF THE US SUPREME COURT ISSUING THEIR RULING IN MISSISSIPPI’S ABORTION CASE. WE WANT TO GO LIVE RIGHT NOW TO 16 WAPT NEWS ROSS ADAMS OUTSIDE JACKSON WOMEN’S HEALTH ORGANIZATION WITH WHAT’S HAPPENING THERE. ROSS PRIMARY TO THAT. ANY OF YOU WANT TO TURN LEFT ON YOUR WAY? WELL, THE MOOD HERE OUTSIDE THE JACKSON WOMEN’S HEALTH ORGANIZATION HAS GOTTEN CONSIDERABLY MORE TENSE IN THE LAST HALF HOUR OR SO INVOLVING THOSE PRO-LIFE ACTIVISTS OPPOSED TO ABORTION AND THOSE MEN AND WOMEN WHO ARE WEARING THOSE COLORFUL VEST, THOSE ARE THE VOLUNTEER CLINIC ESCORTS FOR THE WOMEN WHO ARE GOING IN FOR COUNSELING OR EITHER ABORTION SERVICES. OF COURSE, THIS SITUATION HAS BEEN BREWING FOR YEARS AND YEARS. WE’RE JOINED NOW BY A LONGTIME ACTIVIST, DOUG LANE. DOUG, YOU TOLD US YESTERDAY, JUST YESTERDAY, YOU’VE BEEN A PRO-LIFE ACTIVIST FOR ALMOST 40 YEARS AND 38 YEARS, 38, TO BE EXACT. AND YOU SAID YESTERDAY THAT YOU WERE APPREHENSIVE. YOU WERE NOT SURE WHAT HAS HAPPENED WOULD HAPPEN. WHAT IS YOUR REACTION? THAT’S CORRECT. I WAS NOT SURE, BUT WE’RE VERY, VERY THANKFUL. AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, IT’S BITTERSWEET. SO THANKFUL THAT ABORTION IS NOW ILLEGAL IN MISSISSIPPI, BUT HEARTBROKEN OVER THE NUMBER OF BABIES THAT HAVE DIED IN THIS PLACE. AND SO NOW WE’RE JUST SEEKING GOD, HIS FORGIVENESS, REPENTING OF THOSE SINS, AND THEN HOPING THAT WE CAN THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD. AND AGAIN, WERE YOU ELATED? BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY EARLIER ON THERE WAS QUESTIONS ABOUT WHETHER THE CHIEF JUSTICE WOULD GO RULING WOULD BE JOINING THE FIVE MEMBERS OF THE COURT WHO WERE IN THE MAJORITY. TODAY, THE RULING WAS A SOLID 6 TO 3 MAJORITY TO OVERTURN ROE. RIGHT. WELL, I’M JUST AFRAID THAT ELATED MIGHT BE JUST STILL TOO STRONG A TERM FOR ME. I’VE BEEN AT THIS CLINIC. I WAS HERE THE FIRST DAY. IT WAS OVER 25 YEARS. THEY’VE BEEN MURDERING UNBORN BABIES HERE. SO I’M VERY, VERY THANKFUL. BUT ELATED IS A LITTLE TOO STRONG FOR ME. AND WHAT’S NEXT FOR FOLKS LIKE YOU? YOU’VE SPENT, AGAIN, DECADES AT CLINICS LIKE THIS WHERE CLINICS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY THIS PARTICULAR CLINIC, AT SOME POINT, WE PRESUME, MAY BE CLOSING ITS DOORS. OH, IS THAT BAD OR CLOSER TO GETTING THERE AGAINST THE LAW? NOW IN MISSISSIPPI? WE HAVE A CRISIS PREGNANCY CENTER. OUR RESOURCES CENTER JUST ACROSS THE STREET DECLINE CENTER. THEY JUST APPROVED FUNDING FOR THESE CENTERS ALL ACROSS THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI. SO WE’RE GOING TO OFFER HELP TO WOMEN THAT ARE IN CRISIS, PREGNANCY NEEDS AND WOULD EVEN CONSIDER ABORTION. WE HAVE ALL KINDS OF HELP AVAILABLE FOR THEM. AND WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU AND ALL THE MEN AND WOMEN FOR YOURSELF, WHO, AGAIN, AS I SAID, HAVE SPENT YEAR AFTER YEAR, DECADE AFTER DECADE COMING TO THIS CLINIC. THOSE OF US THAT ARE ACTIVISTS ARE GOING TO GO TO OTHER STATES WHEN IT BECOMES LEGAL HERE. AND IT IS ILLEGAL HERE WHEN THEY CLOSE THIS PLACE DOWN, THEN WE’LL BE GOING WE’LL BE GOING TO OTHER STATES DOWN THERE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, DOUG. NOW WE WANT TO GIVE YOU A SENSE OF WHAT’S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW. THERE IS A GENTLEMAN WHO IS ESSENTIALLY EVANGELIZING, PROSELYTIZING, TRYING TO TALK THESE WOMEN INTO NOT TALK TO THESE WOMEN ABOUT NOT GOING INTO THE CLINIC TO GET AN ABORTION. AND WE’VE SEEN A STEADY FLOW HAPPEN BEFORE AND CERTAINLY AFTER THE SUPREME COURT’S OPINION WAS ANNOUNCED, A STEADY FLOW OF CARS GOING IN AND OUT OF THE PARKING LOT HERE AT THE AT THE CLINIC. AND AGAIN, THERE WAS SOME TENSION. WHAT THE WHAT THE CLINIC ESCORTS AND THESE ACTIVISTS OPPOSED TO ABORTION, BECAUSE BOTH SIDES REALIZE WHAT HAS HAPPENED. BOTH SIDES REALIZE THAT THE AMERICAN LIFE HAS ONE REPORT THAT AMERICAN LIFE WILL CHANGE AFTER THIS. WHAT EXACTLY THAT MEANS? THERE IS IS THERE’S A GENTLEMAN RIGHT THERE, RIGHT THERE TRYING TO GIVE SOME LITERATURE TO SOMEONE AGAINST GETTING AN ABORTION. AGAIN, WHAT WE’RE SEEING HERE IS ONE OF THE CLINIC ESCORTS TOLD US THAT WHAT THIS MEANS IS THAT THE GOVERNMENT WILL BE COMING AFTER WOMEN AND THAT THIS IS A VERY BAD DAY FOR WOMEN, NOT ONLY IN MISSISSIPPI, BUT THEY SAY FOR ALL ACROSS THE NATION. AND IT’S JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE WOMEN AND OTHER FOLKS SEE THEIR RIGHTS RESTRICTED BECAUSE OF THIS HISTORIC RULING TODAY FROM THE U.S. SUPREME COURT FOR NOW, WE’RE LIVE IN FONDREN, ROSS ADAMS 16 WAPT NEWS. ALL RIGHT, THANKS, ROSS. AND JUST AS ROSS WAS TALKING, WE RECEIVED SOME CORRESPONDENCE FROM JACKSON WOMEN’S HEALTH ORGANIZATION SAYING THAT THEY WILL BE HAVING A NEWS CONFERENCE TODAY ON THE GROUNDS OF THEIR FACILITY AT 3:00 IN RESPONSE TO WHAT HAPPENED TODAY. AND RIGHT NOW, WE WANT TO SEND THINGS OUT TO SCOTT SIMMONS. HE IS LIVE AT THE STATE CAPITOL RIGHT NOW WITH REACTION FROM THERE. SCOTT. YEAH, QUIET AT THE STATE CAPITOL RIGHT NOW. EVEN THOUGH STATE POLICE AND CAPITOL POLICE HAVE TAKEN UP POSITION IN AND AROUND THE BUILDINGS KEEPING THE KEY OUT IN CASE THERE ARE ANY PROBLEMS. CERTAINLY A BIG DAY FOR PRO-LIFE LAWMAKERS WHO HAVE FOR YEARS TRIED TO INTRODUCE LEGISLATION THAT WOULD OVERTURN ROE VERSUS WADE. IT WAS AN ANNUAL OCCURRENCE FOR A FLURRY OF LEGAL BILLS TO BE FILED HERE. THIS ONE OF THE DECIDER, THE DOBBS CASE SOUGHT TO BAN ABORTIONS AT 15 WEEKS. BUT IS THE REPEAL OR ASPECT OF THAT LAW THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY APPROVED BY LAWMAKERS THAT IS GOING INTO EFFECT? THAT BASICALLY SAID IF ROE V WADE IS OVERTURNED, THEN ABORTION WOULD BE BANNED IN THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI. HOUSE SPEAKER PHILIP GUNN, PLENTY TO HAVE A NEWS CONFERENCE IN A SHORT WHILE. THE GOVERNOR SENDING OUT A STATEMENT IN PART SAYING DESPITE WHAT SOME CLAIM THAT MISSISSIPPI OUR GOAL WAS NOT JUST TO WIN A COURT CASE, THAT OUR STATE SEEKS TO BE PRO-LIFE IN EVERY SENSE OF THE WORD. THE GOVERNOR AND LAWMAKERS IN THIS PAST SESSION INVESTED MORE MONEY IN CHILD SERVICES, PROMISING TO PUT MORE EMPHASIS ON THE EFFORTS IN ADOPTION TO TRY AND COMPENSATE FOR WHAT’S EXPECTED TO BE AN INCREASE IN THE BIRTH OF CHILDREN IN THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI. MOST WOULD AGREE THAT’S A HERCULEAN TASK FOR SO MUCH THAT NEEDS TO STILL BE DONE IN THE STATE. REGARDING THE CARE FOR FOSTER CHILDREN AND THE ADOPTIVE PROCESS. BUT GOVERNOR REEVES, IN PREVIOUS NEWS CONFERENCES, AS WELL AS OTHER LAWMAKERS, VOWING THAT THAT WILL BE THEIR PLAN RIGHT NOW, QUITE OUTSIDE THE STATE CAPITAL. WE’RE EXPECTING TO HEAR FROM LAWMAKERS AND SOON THE ACLU ON THEIR OPPOSITION HERE IN THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI. THEY’VE TOLD ME IN PREVIOUS INTERVIEWS THEIR HOPES, OF COURSE, WERE SIMPLY TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE IN THIS STATE KNOW WHERE THEY CAN GO TO SEEK AORTION PROCEDURES IF NEEDED. LIVE FOR THE STATE CAPITAL SCOTT SIMMONS 16. WAPT NEWS. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH, SCOTT. WE KNOW IT’S QUIET DOWNTOWN, BUT RIGHT NOW WE WANT TO GO BACK OUT TO FONDREN AND THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE AROUND JACKSON WOMEN’S HEALTH ORGANIZATION. THAT’S WHERE WE FIND 16 WAPT NEWS MICHAILA FRANKLIN THEIR REACTION FROM SOME OF THOSE BUSINESSES IN THAT AREA. MIKAYLA. AARON, YOU KNOW, WE’VE SPOKEN TO A LOT OF BUSINESSES, A LOT OF MANAGERS WHO ARE JUST OPENING UP THEIR SHOP. IT IS IT IS JUST 1030. A LOT OF THEM ARE SAYING THEY LIKE TO JUST STAY OUT OF THE ABORTION TALK RIGHT NOW. BUT IT DOES SEEM THAT BUSINESS IS IS RESUMING HER USUAL. AS YOU CAN SEE, PEOPLE ARE WALKING DOWN THE STREET. WE ARE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF STATE STREET RIGHT NOW, DOWN THE STREET HERE AT THE SCENE, PEOPLE ARE STILL OUTSIDE HAVING COFFEE. PEOPLE ARE STILL COMING INTO RESTAURANTS. YOU DO HAVE A FEW PLACES THAT ARE STILL NOT OPEN. ROOSTER’S IS STILL NOT OPEN. REALLY. THE BEAN AND BASIL’S ARE DOWN HERE. WE HAVE A SWELL OF SONIC HERE WHO ARE JUST OPENING UP THEIR SHOP AS WELL. BUT BUSINESS IS RESUMING AS USUAL. BUT WE DO WANT TO GIVE YOU GUYS JUST ANOTHER LOOK AT WHAT WE’RE SEEING HERE AT THE JACKSON ABORTION CLINIC. ACROSS THE STREET NOW, TRAFFIC IS STARTING TO PICK UP. IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS AROUND LUNCH HOUR AS MORE PEOPLE COME OUT TO STATE, STREET AND COME OUT TO THE FONDREN AREA FOR LUNCH. AS WE KNOW, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SEVERAL RESTAURANTS HERE THAT ARE POPULAR FOR LUNCH, BUT JUST TAKE A LOOK ACROSS THE STREET HERE. YOU CAN SEE, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THOSE PASSIONATE PROTESTERS ON BOTH SIDES ARE STANDING ON THE CORNER HERE. WE HAVE SEEN A LOT OF CAR STOPS, SOME CARS HONKING AND ACTUALLY A LOT OF LOCAL JACKSON UNIONS OUT HERE ON THE CORNER. JUST WONDERING WHAT’S HAPPENING AND JUST TAKING IT ALL IN. YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THESE ARE ABORTION PROTESTERS. PRO-LIFERS ARE ARE STANDING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET HERE RIGHT OUTSIDE THE ABORTION CLINIC. AND, YOU KNOW, TRAFFIC HAS GOTTEN CONGESTED A FEW TIMES, BUT IT SLOWS DOWN AND IT PICKS UP, YOU KNOW, JUST A LOT OF PASSIONATE PROTESTERS RIGHT NOW. YOU KNOW, THINGS ARE MOVING PRETTY SMOOTHLY AS FAR AS THE BUSINESSES. I’M SURE THAT HOTEL ACROSS THE WAY THERE, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE STAYING IN SOME OF THOSE ROOMS RIGHT OUTSIDE. YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE FROM THE WINDOW DOWN INTO THE ENTRANCE OF THAT CLINIC WHERE ROSS IS STANDING. I’M SURE THEY’RE ABLE TO HEAR A LOT OF THE LOUD MCROPHONE, A LOT OF THE LOT. YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE SOME OF THOSE PROTESTERS REDIRECTING PEOPLE GOING UP AND DOWN THE STREET HERE ON FONDREN PLACE. A LOT OF A LOT OF BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THE CLINIC ESCORTS AND PRO-LIFE LIFE PEOPLE. WE HAVE SEEN A LOT OF EXPLETIVES BEING EXCHANGED BETWEEN BOTH PEOPLE AND BOTH SIDES. THOSE CLINIC ESCORTS HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN WAVING IN AND SAYING THAT THEY ARE STILL OPEN. THEY HAVE BROUGHT SIGNS OUTSIDE FROM THE CLINIC SAYING, YOU KNOW, THIS CLINIC IS STILL OPEN. BUT IT DOES SEEM LIKE THIS PRO-LIFE PROTESTER IS BLOCKING PEOPLE FROM ENTERING FONDREN PLACE RIGHT THERE. I’M ASSUMING TO STOP PEOPLE FROM ENTERING THE ABORTION CLINIC FROM GETTING AN ABORTION FOR RIGHT NOW. YOU KNOW, THE TRAFFIC IS STILL MOVING PRETTY SMOOTHLY RIGHT NOW. OUR BUSINESSES ARE STILL OPENING UP. WE WILL CHECK BACK IN WITH YOU GUYS AS WE GET CLOSER AND CLOSER TO LUNCHTIME AS AS, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE TRAFFIC HERE WILL START TO PICK UP IN SOME, YOU KNOW, LOCAL DRAG, TONY, AND WILL BE COMING OUT HERE JUST TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS GOING ON. WE WILL WE’LL CHECK BACK IN WITH YOU GUYS IN A LITTLE BIT. FOR NOW, WE’RE LIVE IN FONDREN, MICHAILA FRANKLIN, 16 WAPT NEWS. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MICHAELA, AND SO MUCH REACTION COMING IN TO ABOUT THIS DECISION FROM THE SUPREME COURT. WE HAVE OUR OWN GRAYSON WHO’S OUTSIDE RIGHT NOW WITH MORE REACTION RIGHT NOW FROM ONE OF OUR LOCAL ATTORNEYS ABOUT THIS DECISION THIS MORNING. GRAYSON. I’M HERE WITH MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE OF LAW, MIKE STEFFEY. MATT STEFFEY, EXCUSE ME FOR SAYING THAT, BUT HE GOING TO KIND OF BREAK DOWN. SO YOU HAVE GONE AHEAD AND LOOKED AT THE OPINION. WHAT IS YOUR FIRST TAKEAWAY FROM WHAT YOU’VE SEEN? MY FIRST TAKEAWAY WAS HOW CLOSE APPEARS TO THE LEAKED OPINION. WE SAW A FEW WEEKS AGO. THE VOTING LINEUP IS IDENTICAL. ALL SPECULATION ABOUT NEGOTIATION AND AND WAVERING VOTES DIDN’T HAPPEN. AND THEN, OF COURSE, THE BASIC CONTENT OF IT, IT OVERRULED BOTH ROE VERSUS WADE AND CASEY AND SWEPT ASIDE 50 YEARS OF PRECEDENT, ELIMINATING A WOMAN’S CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO TERMINATE A PREGNANCY. AND SO WHAT DO YOU THINK THIS FOR THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI? FOR THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, IT MEANS IT’S ONE PART TIME ABORTION CLINIC. WE’LL FINALLY CLOSE IN, SO WE’LL GO FROM 1 TO 0. THE SECOND THING THAT WILL HAPPEN IN VERY SHORT ORDER TODAY OR NEXT WEEK, IF I HAD TO GUESS, NO LAW WILL GO INTO EFFECT. THAT’S BEEN ON THE BOOKS SINCE 2017 CALLED A TRIGGER LAW THAT WILL BAN ABORTION. AND ONCE THE ATTORNEY GENERAL CERTIFIES THE OUTCOME OF THIS CASE AND ALL CASES, EXCEPT A VERY NARROW EXCEPTION FOR RAPE OR CRIMINAL CHARGES ARE PENDING, IT’S REALLY KIND OF HARD TO SEE HOW THAT WILL COME INTO EFFECT OFTEN AND WHERE A WOMAN’S LIFE IS IN DANGER. SO A ALMOST COMPLETE BAN TO ABORTION WILL GO INTO EFFECT WITHIN A MATTER OF DAYS. WOW. SO WHEN YOU SAW THIS LEAKED OPINION THAT CAME OUT IN MAY, DID YOU EXPECT THIS TO BE A SIMILAR AS IT IS TO THE FINAL OPINION THAT WAS RELEASED TODAY? I THOUGHT THAT WAS THE LIKELIEST OUTCOME, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT OFTEN HAPPENS IS OPINIONS GO BACK AND FORTH IS THAT JUSTICES CHANGE THEIR MIND OR ASK FOR A MODIFICATION TO AN OPINION. THAT’S WHAT HAPPENED 30 YEARS AGO IN THE CASEY DECISION THAT DURING THE OPINION WRITING PROCESS, IT’S THOUGHT THAT JUSTICES KENNEDY AND PERHAPS OTHERS CHANGED THEIR VIEW ON. HOW THE OUTCOME SHOULD LOOK. AND SO I THINK THAT’S WHAT MANY OBSERVERS WERE LOOKING. I THOUGHT THAT WAS LESS LIKELY TO HAPPEN. AND REALLY WHAT IT DID, WHAT LEAKING THE OPINION DID AND WHAT LEAKING THE OPINION MAY HAVE BEEN INTENDED TO DO WAS TO FREEZE THE JUSTICES OPINIONS IN PLACE SO THEY COULDN’T BE PRESSURED OR CRITICIZED FOR FLIP FLOPPING OR CHANGING THEIR VIEWS. WE’VE SEEN A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT AT THE ABORTION CLINIC OVER AND FONDREN, DO YOU EXPECT THIS TO CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE, YOU KNOW, TODAY AND THEN THE WEEKEND INTO THE NEXT WEEK? YOU KNOW, THAT IS HARD TO SAY. I THINK WE WILL SEE SOME OF THAT. I THINK THERE WILL STILL BE ADVOCATES FOR REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS THAT WILL ARGUE FOR CHANGES IN THE LAW, ALTHOUGH THEY ARE ALMOST CERTAIN TO FAIL. I THINK WE WILL SEE SOME CELEBRATION ON BEHALF OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR THIS FOR A LONG TIME. BUT I THINK WHAT WE WILL SEE IS PEOPLE ADJUST TO THE REALITY THAT IN MISSISSIPPI AND MANY OTHER STATES, ALL OTHER STATES IN THE DEEP SOUTH, ABORTION IS VIRTUALLY WHOLLY BANNED, WHILE ON THE WEST COAST AND THE NORTHEAST, ABORTION WILL REMAIN LAWFUL SO THAT THE COUNTRY WILL BE DIVIDED GEOGRAPHICALLY TO PLACES WHERE ABORTIONS ARE SAFE AND LEGAL AND WHERE THEY ARE NOT. SO YOU DO EXPECT TO DIVIDE NATIONWIDE BETWEEN MORE OF THE NORTHERN STATES AND THE SOUTHERN STATES? YES, WELL, THE WEST COAST ABORTION WILL REMAIN LAWFUL IN MOST INSTANCES. SAME THING WITH THE NORTHEAST. THE UPPER MIDWEST WILL BE IN BETWEEN. OH, BOY. THERE WILL BE RESTRICTIONS, BUT NOT A COMPLETE BAN LIKE HERE IN MISSISSIPPI. AND THEN HAS TO DEAL WITH THE PRE ROE REALITY THAT ABORTIONS ARE STILL TO TAKE PLACE, PARTICULARLY POOR WOMEN, WOMEN WHO ARE KIND OF GEOGRAPHICALLY LOCKED IN PLACE. WE’LL SEE. NON-MEDICAL, AT LEAST NONPROFESSIONAL MEANS TO TERMINATE A PREGNANCY. WE WILL GO BACK TO AN ERA WHERE WOMEN MOTIVATED THAT TURN TO A PREGNANCY DESPERATE TO DO SO MAY SEEK UNSAFE MEANS. IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT I DIDN’T ASK YOU THAT YOU FEEL LIKE OUR VIEWERS RIGHT NOW SHOULD KNOW? WELL, I THINK THAT THIS IS, YOU KNOW, A LONG PROMISED PART OF THE KIND OF POLITICAL LANDSCAPE WHERE PRESIDENT TRUMP AND OTHERS HAVE CAMPAIGNED THAT EVANGELICAL SUPPORT FOR THAT CANDIDATE, WHICH MAY HAVE BEEN UNCOMFORTABLE ON THE BASIS OF CERTAIN ISSUES OR ASPECTS OF THE CANDIDATE, WAS WORTH IT BECAUSE THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP WAS, FOR EXAMPLE, COMMITTED TO APPOINTING JUSTICES WHO WOULD DELIVER THIS RESULT. AND SO THIS FEELS LIKE A PROMISE FULFILLED FOR MANY SUPPORTERS OF PRESIDENT TRUMP AN