Court Clears Way for Jailing of Operation Rescue Founder

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Monday cleared the way for the jailing of Operation Rescue founder Randy Terry on a contempt-of-court conviction that stemmed from an anti-abortion demonstrator showing Bill Clinton a fetus during the 1992 Democratic National Convention.

The justices, without comment, left intact Terry’s conviction and five-month jail sentence for disobeying a federal judge’s injunction.

Terry’s sentence has been held in abeyance during his appeals, but Monday’s action frees New York prosecutors to seek his incarceration.

Terry had urged the high court to rule that his contempt conviction was invalid because the New York state lawyers who had gained the injunction also prosecuted the contempt charges.

During the Democratic convention in New York City in July of 1992, state Atty. Gen. Robert Abrams obtained a federal court injunction barring Terry and Operation Rescue National from “presenting or confronting” then-Arkansas Gov. Clinton or then-Tennessee Sen. Al Gore “with any fetus or fetuses or fetal remains.”

Terry was charged because, a day after the injunction was issued, Clinton was shown a fetus by an anti-abortion demonstrator. State prosecutors said Terry had been behind the confrontation.

The case is Terry vs. U.S., 94-141.