Rebecca Burylo

Montgomery Advertiser

Alabama Court of Civil Appeals judge Scott Donaldson "failed" Alabama when he allowed a 12-year-old girl to have an abortion without a parent's consent, a local attorney said on the steps of the State Judicial Building.

It was a hot Wednesday afternoon when attorney Win Johnson spoke out against the recent decision that allowed the anonymous girl, who was impregnated by a relative, to "kill her own child," Johnson said.

More:Alabama Court: Pregnant 12-year-old can get abortion

"Government is supposed to protect innocent life," Johnson said. "The Court of Civil Appeals made the decision that this girl was mature enough to decide to murder her own child in her womb.

"Has anyone explained this too her in its darkest, rawest form? In this case we're victimizing two people.

"It's time we have judges who will do their duty and who are not afraid of what might happen."

Johnson, who was the former legal director for the Administrative Office of Courts during Roy Moore's tenure as Chief Justice, said the child is too young to fully understand the consequences of her decision. He said her decision now could have a damaging effect on conscience later in life.

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Moore's campaign manager, Rich Hobson said Johnson held the press conference, "completely on his own.”

On July 12, the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals ruled in favor of a girl seeking a waiver from a state law requiring that minors get parental consent before an abortion. Because the case was sealed, due to the sensitive nature of the case, the girl's name and home county were not released.

Lorie Mullins, the COPE Pregnancy Center's executive director in Montgomery, said she has spoken with hundreds of young girls who faced a similar decision of abortion in the 12 years she has been with COPE.

"The one thing that I can tell you is that it is not an easy decision, but I've never had a woman come back and say her life was better," Mullins said.

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"There is no good choice in this matter. What I can say is that this girl's life will not be better after an abortion no matter what happens."

The adult relative who allegedly impregnated the girl has been charged with statutory rape. The girl, who at the time of the incident was living at home with her mother, her stepfather, four siblings and an uncle, has since been removed from the home. She does not know her father.

The girl sought a waiver from the parental consent law, but a district attorney objected before a family court judge approved the waiver last month and the appeals court agreed.

She and her four siblings were placed in the custody of the Department of Human Resources.