A14 The BulleTin • Tuesday, sepTemBer 21, 2021
Texas doctor who defied state’s
new abortion ban has been sued
BY JAMIE STENGLE
Associated Press
DALLAS — A San Anto-
nio doctor who said he per-
formed an abortion in defi-
ance of a new Texas law all but
dared supporters of the state’s
near-total ban on the proce-
dure to try making an early
example of him by filing a law-
suit — and by Monday, two
people obliged.
Former attorneys in Arkan-
sas and Illinois filed separate
state lawsuits Monday against
Dr. Alan Braid, who in a week-
end Washington Post opiniovn
column became the first Texas
abortion provider to publicly
reveal he violated the law that
took effect on Sept. 1.
They both came in ahead
of the state’s largest anti-abor-
tion group, which had said it
had attorneys ready to bring
lawsuits. Neither ex-lawyer
who filed suit said they were
anti-abortion. But both said
courts should weigh in.
The Texas law prohibits
abortions once medical profes-
sionals can detect cardiac ac-
tivity, which is usually around
six weeks and before some
women even know they are
pregnant. Prosecutors cannot
take criminal action against
Braid, because the law ex-
plicitly forbids that. The only
way the ban can be enforced
is through lawsuits brought
File photo by Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman via AP
Barbie H. leads a Sept. 1 protest against the six-week abortion ban at the Capitol in Austin, Texas.
by private citizens, who don’t
have to be from Texas and
who are entitled to claim at
least $10,000 in damages if
successful.
Oscar Stilley, who described
himself in court paperwork as
a disgraced former lawyer who
lost his law license after being
convicted of tax fraud in 2010,
said he is not opposed to abor-
tion but sued to force a court
review of Texas’ anti-abortion
law, which he called an “end-
run.”
Cranston
Continued from A1
“Words were exchanged and shots were
fired, and the state doesn’t feel it was jus-
tified,” Hummel said. “We feel really good
about the case.” Washington was a new
resident of Bend, having moved from
Sacramento, California, Hummel said.
Hummel said Cranston was arrested by
“I don’t want doctors out
there nervous and sitting there
and quaking in their boots
and saying, ‘I can’t do this be-
cause if this thing works out,
then I’m going to be bank-
rupt,’” Stilley, of Cedarville,
Arkansas, near the Oklahoma
border, told The Associated
Press.
Felipe N. Gomez, of Chi-
cago, asked a court in San
Antonio in his lawsuit to de-
clare the new law unconstitu-
tional. In his view, the law is
police “pretty quickly.” Numerous people
witnessed the dispute and the shooting.
Investigators learned the two men did
not know each other, and the shooting
was precipitated by the victim speaking
with Cranston’s girlfriend, Hummel said.
“He asked her on a date,” Hummel said.
“He wasn’t grabbing or pawing or molest-
ing her. He asked her out, and her boy-
friend didn’t like that.”
a form of government over-
reach. He said his lawsuit is a
way to hold the Republicans
who run Texas accountable,
adding that their lax response
to public health during the
COVID-19 pandemic con-
flicts with their crack down on
abortion rights.
“If Republicans are going to
say nobody can tell you to get a
shot they shouldn’t tell women
what to do with their bodies ei-
ther,” Gomez said. “I think they
should be consistent.”
According to a Facebook profile ap-
pearing to be Cranston’s, he works as a
machinist for Bend-based ammunition
manufacturer Nosler.
The Bend Police Department asks wit-
nesses to the fatal shooting to call the
nonemergency dispatch line at 541-693-
6911.
e
Reporter: 541-383-0325,
gandrews@bendbulletin.com
Campbell
and she ran to a nearby home,
where she pointed a firearm
at the family of four while at-
Continued from A1
Discussing the facts of the
tempting to steal a vehicle.
case, Jefferson County District
She was arrested shortly after
Attorney Steve Leriche called
in the driveway of the home in
the incident leading to Smith’s
Terrebonne.
death “quite a bit of chaos.”
The sentence in the second
“The defendant was
case, 54 months in
under the influence of
prison, was assigned
methamphetamine,”
to run concurrent with
Leriche said. “In fact,
the sentence in the ho-
both parties were un-
micide case.
der the influence of
Last month, Cross
methamphetamine.”
was sentenced last
On Dec. 16, Camp-
month to five years
Campbell
bell was in the garage
in prison for pleading
of a home belonging
guilty to two felonies:
to several friends at 896 SW
attempted first-degree robbery
First St. in Madras.
and unlawful use of a weapon.
At the time, Smith believed
On Monday, Campbell’s at-
Campbell was involved in the
torney, Geoffrey Gokey, noted
theft of Smith’s daughter’s back- for the judge his client didn’t
pack. She and an associate,
go to the First Street house in-
Robert Holquin, traveled to the tending to hurt Smith or any-
house to confront Campbell
one else.
about it.
“The evidence is the gun
Campbell was armed with
was in her hands when it went
a loaded handgun. Smith also
off, and my client feels terrible
had a weapon: a ball bearing
about that,” Gokey said, add-
attached to a lanyard, Leriche
ing that his client has been ad-
said on Monday.
dicted to meth for 10 years.
According to the police ac-
Campbell declined an op-
count, Campbell pulled the
portunity to address the court.
gun on Smith and Holquin
Vitolins apologized to Sam-
attempted to grab it. The gun
mons for Campbell’s silence.
“went off” in Campbell’s hand.
“To the members of Ms.
A single bullet traveled
Smith’s family, I am sorry that
through Smith’s heart. She died Ms. Campbell was not able to
shortly after.
express any feelings of remorse
For four days, Campbell
or apologize for essentially kill-
eluded police. She and an ac-
ing your loved one. But I do
complice, Thomas David James want to tell you that I am very
Cross, set up a fake drug deal
sorry for your loss.”
with a man they knew. They
Sammons declined to com-
robbed him and stole his Ford
ment as he left the courthouse.
Ranger. Campbell later crashed
“I’m done dealing with this
the truck near Smith Rock
place,” he said.
while being pursued by po-
e Reporter: 541-383-0325,
gandrews@bendbulletin.com
lice. She and Cross parted ways
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