David Daleiden, the investigative journalist for the Center for Medical Progress, and his cohort, Sandra Merritt, who together created a series of undercover videos exposing Planned Parenthood’s fetal tissue trafficking, have been the subject of a nine-day preliminary hearing in San Francisco that started this week. The purpose of the hearing is to determine whether there’s enough evidence to try them on 15 felony counts for invasion of privacy.

The argument against Daleiden and Merritt is that they videotaped Planned Parenthood-affiliated abortion providers without their knowledge concerning fetal tissue procurement at the National Abortion Federation’s annual conferences in 2014 and 2015. The prosecution contends that conference attendees were required to sign confidentiality agreements prohibiting them from divulging details about the conference to anyone not in attendance.

However, the defense claims that the NAF’s exhibitor rules and regulations did not prohibit video recordings. Further, Daleiden’s attorney, Peter Breen, said that California’s Invasion of Privacy Act excludes any conversation that can be reasonably overheard or recorded, and therefore “none of the content was confidential.” Breen added that Daleiden’s journalistic efforts should be protected by California’s shield laws.

Tuesday marked the first time that any of Daleiden’s undercover videos have been played in an open court.

News Sources

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Courthouse News

Preliminary hearing against Center for Medical Progress has begun
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