In a significant development, a Texas man has dropped his high-profile wrongful death lawsuit against three women who assisted his ex-wife in obtaining abortion pills. The lawsuit, which had attracted widespread attention, was one of the first private legal actions brought under Texas’ restrictive abortion law.
Marcus Silva, represented by attorney Jonathan Mitchell, filed the lawsuit last year, accusing the three women—Amy Carpenter, Jackie Noyola, and Aracely Garcia—of aiding and abetting an abortion by helping Silva’s ex-wife, Brittni Silva, obtain pills to terminate her pregnancy in July 2022. The lawsuit sought $1 million in damages from each defendant.
The case, which was scheduled to go to trial next week, has been dropped following a settlement. In a court filing on Friday, Mitchell confirmed the case had been dismissed but declined to comment further. A spokesperson for the defendants stated that Silva had not received any monetary compensation for the withdrawal of the case.
Amy Carpenter, one of the defendants, commented on the dismissal: “After two years of being entangled in this abusive litigation, we were prepared to defend ourselves in court. But the claims were dropped because they had no merit. We did nothing wrong, and we would do it all again.”
The lawsuit drew attention not only for its contentious nature but also because of the legal framework it targeted. Texas passed a law in 2021 banning abortions after roughly six weeks of pregnancy. The law allows private citizens to sue anyone who aids or abets an abortion, bypassing the state in enforcing the ban. This law was enacted before the U.S. Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022, which allowed states to impose abortion bans.
The plaintiffs’ case was based on text messages and communications between Silva’s ex-wife, Noyola, and Carpenter, which allegedly discussed obtaining abortion pills. Silva’s claim asserted that the women facilitated the delivery of the pills and helped his ex-wife self-manage the abortion at their homes in Houston.
Despite the lawsuit’s dismissal, the women maintained their actions were in support of their friend, who was seeking to escape an abusive relationship. In a statement, Jackie Noyola said, “No one should ever have to fear criminalization or lengthy court battles for helping someone they care about.”
The settlement of this case highlights the ongoing debate surrounding abortion access and the legal strategies used to navigate the state’s restrictions. With the Texas law still in effect, further legal challenges are expected to follow.
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