PLW: Milwaukee sidewalk counselor gets legal help

The below article from LifeNews illustrates the treatment pro-lifers receive from the Milwaukee Police Department. In addition to this court case, the Milwaukee Police Department and the City of Milwaukee are facing a lawsuit from several pro-lifers, who claim the Milwaukee Police systematically violated the protesters' civil rights through harassment, intimidation and improper enforcement of ordinances.

In one instance, according to the suit, plaintiffs Alex and Ana Marie Doak were pushing their baby in a carriage and handing out pamphlets when seven police officers surrounded them and threatened to charge them with abuse and neglect of their child.

Read more about the pending lawsuit here.

On Dec. 28 in Milwaukee municipal court, the Thomas More Society entered a not guilty plea on behalf of a pro-life sidewalk counselor.

James Marcou was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct as he stood and took video outside a local abortion business. He was charged in August after two abortion center escorts at the Affiliated Women’s Heath Center claimed he was acting disorderly and getting in their way outside the facility.

“James Marcou has been doing life-saving work for years in Milwaukee without incident, and the only crime here has been committed by those who would outlaw and penalize his peaceable saving of so many human lives,” said Tom Brejcha, president and chief counsel of the Chicago-based Thomas More Society.

The police were called and interviewed the escorts inside the abortion center but did not ask any of the pro-lifers for their side of the story, according to Marcou.

“The citizens of Milwaukee deserve better from their police department and city prosecutors,” said Brejcha.

Marcou has pled not guilty and the case will be transferred to the circuit court from the municipal court.

Pro-Life Wisconsin