On Wednesday October 26, Judge Edward Pace of the New York State Supreme Court of Erie County heard oral arguments regarding a firebombed pro-life medical network’s lawsuit against the Amherst Police Department. . CompassCare is petitioning the court to order the Buffalo Police in the first ring suburb of Buffalo, NY to return video surveillance of the arson attack to the victims. After hearing the arguments, Judge Pace denied CompassCare the return of their private video surveillance saying it is “not the final order,” setting another hearing date for January 17 to revisit his decision in light of the status of the investigation.
Q&A:
- Why is CompassCare suing the Buffalo Police Department?
Answer: CompassCare contends that, 142 days after the domestic terror incident causing half a million dollars’ worth of damage to the medical facility and injuring two firefighters, by depriving CompassCare of its own video surveillance of the crime, the police and FBI are hindering both the identification of the pro-abortion extremists as well as harming CompassCare’s attorney’s ability to prepare a civil lawsuit against the arsonists. The statute of limitations for CompassCare to file a civil suit against their attackers is one year from the day of the attack.
- What was Judge Pace’s ruling after the hearing on October 26th?
Answer: After hearing the arguments, Judge Pace denied CompassCare the return of their private video surveillance saying it is “not the final order.” The Judge’s ruling is a wise act to hold the police accountable to provide equal justice to pro-life people and organizations. Judge Pace set another hearing date for January 17 to revisit his decision in light of the status of the investigation.
- Why does CompassCare need the video footage back?
Answer: Absent eye witnesses to the attack, the video footage of the firebombing of CompassCare’s pro-life medical office is critical to crafting a civil suit. Both the lack of access to the key evidence and the serial abdication of duty to investigate and indict in over 150 attacks on pro-life organizations nationwide is of concern not only to CompassCare but to pro-life organizations and leaders like Sen. Ted Cruz. It takes time for attorneys to prepare a case once the accused are identified and the evidence is accessible.
- Does CompassCare have information to share after Rev. Harden’s viewing the security footage, courtesy the FBI on October 19?
Answer: CompassCare doesn’t want to compromise the investigations that may or may not be happening. Rev. Harden’s viewing of the footage re-confirmed the descriptions of the arsonists CompassCare released on September 29. Based on the efficiency of the attack and the apparent expertise of the arsonists, Rev. Harden believes the arsonists were either trained by professionals or themselves professionals. The attack likely being a hit job, the capture of one or both of the perpetrators could lead to the revelation of a wide spread network colluding to deprive pro-life people of their rights, harming pro-abortion midterm election aspirations.
- What did Buffalo’s town attorney say regarding the case?
Answer: While the attorney representing the Amherst Police Department, Stanley Sliwa, insisted CompassCare has an ulterior motive for the return of its private property. While Sliwa’s remarks at the hearing are condescending, he really chickened out before the Judge to reveal his bias against pro-life people per his public remarks elsewhere about pro-life victims of violence. He told media that the release of the video would foment violence from the right, insinuating that pro-lifers are “nut jobs…with guns and AK-47s, bombing and killing people.”
- What does CompassCare have to say regarding the investigation into the firebombing of their pro-life medical office?
Answer: Even if the police and FBI fail to indict a single person and the threats from Jane’s Revenge and pro-abortion politicians continue, we will not stop trying to save women and their preborn boys and girls from abortion nonetheless. All people are made in the image of God and are therefore equally valuable, without qualification.
Rev. Jim Harden, CompassCare CEO:
Rev. James R. Harden, M.Div. is the CEO of CompassCare Pregnancy Services and lives outside of Rochester, NY with his wife and ten children. Rev. Harden pioneered the first measurable and repeatable medical model in the pregnancy center movement, helping hundreds of centers nationwide become more effective at reaching more women and saving more babies from abortion. He has written extensively on medical ethics, executive leadership, and pro-life strategy. Recently CompassCare’s pro-life medical office in Buffalo, NY was firebombed.
About Rev. James Harden…
Rev. James R. Harden, M.Div. is the CEO of CompassCare Pregnancy Services and lives outside of Rochester, NY with his wife and ten children. Jim pioneered the first measurable and repeatable medical model in the pregnancy center movement, helping hundreds of centers nationwide become more effective at reaching more women and saving more babies from abortion. He has written extensively on medical ethics, executive leadership, and pro-life strategy.
CONTACT: Jerry McGlothlin 919-437-0001 jerry@specialguests.com
