White Plains Anti-Abortion Protestors Sentenced to Three Months in Jail
Three anti-abortion protestors who disrupted service at a White Plains healthcare facility for women last November were each sentenced Tuesday to three months in jail.
Christopher Moscinski of the Bronx and William Goodman of Wisconsin, both 52, and Matthew Connolly, 40, of Minnesota, all affiliated with the anti-abortion group Red Rose Rescue, were given the maximum sentence by White Plains City Court Judge John Collin for criminal trespassing.
District Attorney Mimi Rocah had recommended to the court that the defendants be given the top penalty for their role in entering All Women’s Health & Medical Services on Mamaroneck Avenue last Nov. 27.
“Abortion is legal in the state of New York and interfering with a patient’s right to access medical and reproductive care is a crime,” Rocah said. “I will use the full force of my office to protect patients and reproductive rights here in Westchester County.”
Following a three-day trial in March, the jury found the three men guilty of the misdemeanor charge of third-degree criminal trespass.
At about 8:40 a.m. on the day in question, the defendants entered the facility, a private medical office, where they remained unlawfully for about two hours despite receiving numerous requests and warnings to leave from medical staff and the White Plains Police Department.
All three defendants disrupted facility operations and patient services, with two defendants occupying the waiting room, making it unusable, and another using his body to create an obstacle in one of the office doorways.
They were arrested by White Plains police who had to physically carry them out of the premises.
Martin has more than 30 years experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, including a frequent focus on zoning and planning issues. He has been editor-in-chief of The Examiner since its inception in 2007. Read more from Martin’s editor-author bio here. Read Martin’s archived work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/martin-wilbur2007/
