Pro-life atheist sentenced to prison for abortion clinic protest didn't want pardon from Trump
An atheist pro-life activist pardoned by President Donald Trump following a federal prison sentence for violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act believes the Republican leader’s actions may make it harder to appeal the conviction.
The nonbinary activist, who identifies as Herb Geraghty, was among several pro-life activists found guilty in August 2023 of violating federal law in connection with a 2020 blockade of a Washington, D.C., abortion facility. In May, U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly sentenced Geraghty to 27 months in federal prison, with the activist serving 17 months before receiving a pardon from Trump.
“I think the pardon is going to make it a little bit harder, but the appeal is still ongoing, and I feel strongly that we can be successful,” Geraghty told The Christian Post.
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While the activist didn’t want the pardon, Geraghty expressed gratitude to Trump for pardoning the old and sickly pro-lifers serving time for participating in the 2020 blockade at the Washington Surgi-Clinic. Several of the activists involved in attempting to prevent abortions at the facility — such as Joan Andrews Bell, Heather Idoni and Jean Marshall — are elderly women, and Geraghty feared for their health in prison.
"I was glad that they were going home, but I thought that I wasn't going to because I was rejecting my pardon, but the prison said, 'No, it's an unconditional pardon; you have to leave,'" the pro-life atheist recalled.
"And so, it didn't really hit me that I was leaving until I was already outside," Geraghty added.
Regarding the president, Geraghty considers it a good sign that Trump listened to requests from various pro-life advocates to pardon the activists. As is the case with many pro-lifers, Geraghty did not approve of some of Trump's comments about abortion during the campaign trail, but the president's recent actions came as a "pleasant surprise."
"What Donald Trump personally believes about the value of unborn human beings, I can't determine. I hope that this is a sign that we will be able to get some other good pro-life policies during the Trump administration," the pro-life atheist said, expressing a desire to see a national abortion ban.
During the interview, Geraghty also reflected on the day of the "rescue" at the Washington Surgi-Clinic in 2020.
Pro-lifers who engage in the tactic called rescue attempt to prevent abortions by entering the facility to counsel women about their options. In some cases, pro-life advocates will refuse to leave and wait for the police to arrest them.
Geraghty was one of several defendants who participated in the effort to stop the Washington Surgi-Clinic from performing abortions on Oct. 22, 2020. According to prosecutors, Geraghty assisted fellow pro-life activist Lauren Handy in planning the blockade.
A jury concluded in 2023 that Geraghty "did, in fact, use force and/or violence against clinic employees in his entry, or at least aided and abetted fellow Defendants in doing so," something that the activist denies.
"This was a nonviolent, peaceful protest from our side," Geraghty insisted. "We did not engage in any violence. We never assaulted anyone."
According to a trial brief for the case, several of the defendants reportedly used chairs to block the clinic's entrance, tying themselves together with chains and ropes. As the activists entered the abortion facility, a nurse injured her ankle while attempting to stop them.
Geraghty did not remember seeing any signs of injury from the nurse on the day of the protest. The activist accused the Washington Surgi-Clinic staff of using violence against the pro-life activists, claiming that one employee started hitting the advocates with a broom.
"What I was doing on that day is what I do regularly anyway, which is counseling moms and giving them the opportunity to know that there are resources out there for them," the pro-life activist said.
Following the pardon from Trump, the activist revealed that the next steps are somewhat uncertain at the moment; however, Geraghty stressed a desire to continue advocating against abortion and connecting pregnant women to free pregnancy resources.
"Other than that, I don't have a direct plan. I still absolutely support nonviolent direct action in support of unborn children," the pardoned pro-lifer said. "What exactly that is going to look like for me? I don't know yet."
Samantha Kamman is a reporter for The Christian Post. She can be reached at: samantha.kamman@christianpost.com. Follow her on Twitter: @Samantha_Kamman
