Texas DA to drop murder charge against woman arrested over 'self-induced abortion'


Gocha Allen Ramirez, the district attorney of Texas' Starr County, announced on Sunday that he will dismiss the murder case against Lizelle Herrera, a 26-year-old woman arrested in connection with a "self-induced abortion."
Ramirez said that after reviewing the case, he has decided to file a motion on Monday to drop the indictment. "It is my hope that with the dismissal of this case, it is made clear that Ms. Herrera did not commit a criminal act under the laws of the state of Texas," he stated.
The Starr County Sheriff's Office announced in a statement on Friday that Herrera was arrested and charged after "intentionally and knowingly causing the death of an individual by self-induced abortion." The New York Times notes it is unclear if Herrera "was accused of having the abortion or aiding one, or how far along the pregnancy had been." The abortion rights organization Frontera Fund said Herrera was released Saturday on $500,000 bail.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Texas has strict abortion laws, but it is not know what statute Herrera was being indicted under. Ramirez said "in reviewing applicable Texas law, it is clear that Ms. Herrera cannot and should not be prosecuted for the allegation against her. ... The events leading up to this indictment have taken a toll on Ms. Herrera and her family. To ignore this fact would be shortsighted."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
June 29 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Sunday's political cartoons include the AI genie, Iran saving face, and bad language bombs
-
A tall ship adventure in the Mediterranean
The Week Recommends Sailing aboard this schooner and exploring Portugal, Spain and Monaco is a 'magical' experience
-
How drone warfare works
The Explainer From Ukraine to Iran, it has become clear that unmanned aircraft are rapidly revolutionising modern warfare
-
Weinstein convicted of sex crime in retrial
Speed Read The New York jury delivered a mixed and partial verdict at the disgraced Hollywood producer's retrial
-
'King of the Hill' actor shot dead outside home
speed read Jonathan Joss was fatally shot by a neighbor who was 'yelling violent homophobic slurs,' says his husband
-
DOJ, Boulder police outline attacker's confession
speed read Mohamed Sabry Soliman planned the attack for a year and 'wanted them all to die'
-
Assailant burns Jewish pedestrians in Boulder
speed read Eight people from the Jewish group were hospitalized after a man threw Molotov cocktails in a 'targeted act of violence'
-
Driver rams van into crowd at Liverpool FC parade
speed read 27 people were hospitalized following the attack
-
2 Israel Embassy staff shot dead at DC Jewish museum
speed read The suspected gunman chanted 'free, free Palestine'
-
Bombing of fertility clinic blamed on 'antinatalist'
speed read A car bombing injured four people and damaged a fertility clinic and nearby buildings in Palm Springs, California
-
Suspect charged after 11 die in Vancouver car attack
Speed Read Kai-Ji Adam Lo drove an SUV into a crowd at the Lapu Lapu Day festival