A friend and longtime pro-life colleague sent a few of the details over to us about the ridiculous jail sentences recently given to Shari McKee and Melissa Abbink. With Shari's permission, Mary Jane is urging pro-life advocates to write Governor Dave Heineman, the Mayor of Lincoln, Chris Beutler, and the Attorney General, Jon Bruning, asking their involvment in commuting these unjust sentences.Here's the deal -- Shari and Melissa are both very kind-hearted, peaceful and dedicated sidewalk counselors and the Lord has used them in saving the lives of many unborn babies over the years. But recently Shari was sentenced to 8 months and Melissa to 5 months in jail by a Lincoln judge for taking part in a peaceful picket of an abortionist's home -- an action that occurred almost 10 years ago!
Their lawyer has now been trying to get the governor of Nebraska, Dave Heineman and the Mayor of Lincoln, Chris Beutler, to commute their sentence but each one has passed the buck. Big surprise. Therefore, Mary Jane is asking us to join in the effort to see some semblance of sanity restored here.
Here is Mary Jane's letter:
Dear Mayor Chris Beutler,
I am writing concerning the jail sentence being given to two Nebraska peaceful and non-violent pro-life activists Sharon McKee and Melissa Abbink by a Lincoln judge for a so-called crime they committed approximately 10 years ago. A few years later, they were found guilty of violating a Lincoln City ordinance forbidding pro-lifers to speak to Abortionist Winston Crabb at his home. Their crime was standing on the sidewalk of the abortionist's home and asking him to "stop killing unborn babies". After the two had been sentenced by the judge in Lincoln, they were never made to serve their sentence and the case just disappeared.
Now all of a sudden, the case has been reactivated, and the judge says that Sharon will have to serve the 8 months and Melissa 5 months in jail for merely exercising their right to Freedom of Speech which is a constitutional right in this country. These jail sentences are horrendously unjust. I cannot believe there is not a statute of limitations on how long a judge can wait to hand down the sentencing of a crime.
Sharon McKee is an upstanding citizen who is a practicing nurse at a home for retired nuns where she takes care of them. She also lives with and takes care of her elderly mother who is homebound and has a grandson she often helps care for. She will lose her job and her mother will have no one to take care of her while she is in jail.
You, as the Mayor of the City, have the authority to commute this unjust sentence. Please have the courage and decency to do the right and just thing. Please do not allow these two women to spend any jail time for merely exercising their freedom of speech to stop the unjust killing of innocent unborn babies. Thank you.
Sincerely...
So, you want help Mary Jane help stand in the gap for peaceful protesters Shari and Melissa (and thereby, for the moms, dads and preborn children they serve)? Here's the relevant information:
Lincoln Mayor Chris Beutler -- www.mayor@lincoln.ne.gov
Governor Dave Heineman: http://www.gov.state.ne.us/mail/govmail.html
Attorney General Jon Bruning : campaign@jonbruning.com