This month, Anastasia Rogers, a San Francisco-area pro-life activist affiliated with Survivors of the Abortion Holocaust, was on trial for an alleged Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act violation. In December, Rogers posted an online video poking fun at an abortion facility escort at the San Francisco Planned Parenthood. Law enforcement claimed the video violated California’s FACE Act, which makes it illegal to film or share images of clinic workers, volunteers, or patients near an abortion facility if prosecutors can show the images were intended to intimidate and cause fear.

Legal arguments concluded last Friday and the jury deliberated this week. On Thursday, the judge declared a mistrial because of a hung jury. The jury leaned heavily toward acquittal. Nine of the 12 jurors found Anastasia not guilty of distributing a social media video with the intent to intimidate. Ten of the 12 jurors found Anastasia not guilty of videotaping an abortion facility escort with the intent to intimidate.

Overall, the prosecution does not appear to have a strong case. At the trial, the clinic escort who was videotaped testified that she did not feel threatened or intimidated on the day that the video occurred. There will be a status hearing before the judge on Monday, June 8^th to determine the next steps in this trial.