Three anti-abortion activists receive sentencing for participating in blockading a Tennessee clinic

The final three individuals involved in a 2021 Tennessee clinic blockade were recently sentenced, concluding legal proceedings that started with their arrest for obstructing access to a Carafem clinic in Mount Juliet, Tennessee. Chester Gallagher, described as the main organizer of the blockade, received the longest sentence of 16 months in prison. Prosecutors highlighted Gallagher’s law enforcement background, which he allegedly exploited to prolong the blockade. Along with a co-defendant, Gallagher engaged in deceptive tactics to stall law enforcement, causing disruptions not only to the Carafem clinic but also to other medical offices in the same building.

Heather Idoni, who is already serving a 2-year sentence for a previous clinic blockade in Washington, D.C., was given an 8-month prison sentence, to be served concurrently with her existing sentence. Despite acknowledging Idoni’s charitable deeds, such as adopting orphans from Ukraine, U.S. District Judge Aleta Trauger criticized her for letting personal beliefs on abortion cause emotional harm to others.

Both Gallagher and Idoni, along with a third individual, Eva Edl, were convicted of obstructing clinic access and a federal conspiracy charge, leading to prison terms, including supervised release for three years. Other co-conspirators received sentences last July, ranging from 6 months in prison to three years of supervised release, while three individuals facing misdemeanor charges were each sentenced to three years of probation.

Despite being convicted in the Tennessee blockade, Edl received a lesser sentence of 3 years of probation. One defendant, Caroline Davis, who cooperated with prosecutors by pleading guilty to misdemeanor charges, was sentenced to three years of probation earlier this year after her guilty plea in October.

The Tennessee blockade occurred before the U.S. Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade, with organizers using social media to broadcast their actions with the aim of impeding the clinic’s abortion services. The videos of the blockade were intended not only to prevent the clinic’s operation but also to serve as a training tool for other anti-abortion activists, according to court findings. Gallagher, Idoni, and Edl are also facing charges related to similar activities in Michigan, where they were found guilty of obstructing access to clinics and conspiracy; their sentencing in the Michigan cases is pending.