Judge: Alabama groups can sue over threat of prosecution for helping with abortion travel

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — A federal judge says abortion rights advocates can proceed with lawsuits against Alabama’s attorney general over his threats to prosecute people who help women travel to another state to terminate pregnancies. U.S. District Judge Myron Thompson on Monday denied Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall’s request to dismiss the case. The groups say Marshall has made statements suggesting anti-conspiracy laws could be used to prosecute those who assist with appointments or referrals for abortions out of state. The two lawsuits seek a legal ruling clarifying that the state can’t use the statute for these prosecutions. Alabama bans abortion at any stage of pregnancy with no exceptions for rape and incest.