Lizelle Gonzalez, a Texas woman who faced murder charges for self-managing an abortion, has taken legal action against the prosecutors responsible for her arrest.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court on Thursday, targets the district attorney’s office in Starr County, situated along the U.S.-Mexico border, for initiating the criminal case, which was later dropped.
Gonzalez’s legal action follows disciplinary measures imposed on the district attorney by the State Bar of Texas in 2022. She was charged with murder in connection with “the death of an individual by self-induced abortion,” despite Texas laws exempting women seeking abortions from criminal charges.
The lawsuit contends that Gonzalez endured significant harm due to her arrest and subsequent media coverage. Seeking $1 million in damages, Gonzalez’s legal team asserts that the actions of the defendants have irrevocably altered her life.
Starr County District Attorney Gocha Ramirez, when approached for comment, stated he had not yet been served the lawsuit and declined to provide further remarks. Similarly, Starr County Judge Eloy Vera, the county’s top elected official, refrained from commenting on the matter.
According to the lawsuit, Gonzalez, at 19 weeks pregnant, utilized misoprostol, a drug commonly used in medication abortions.
Misoprostol, also employed in treating stomach ulcers, led Gonzalez to seek medical attention at a hospital emergency room due to abdominal pain.
Subsequently, she returned the following day with bleeding, and an examination revealed no fetal heartbeat. Medical professionals performed a caesarian section to deliver a stillborn baby.
The lawsuit alleges that the hospital violated Gonzalez’s privacy rights by reporting the abortion to the district attorney’s office, prompting an investigation that resulted in a murder charge.
Cecilia Garza, Gonzalez’s attorney, stated that prosecutors pursued the indictment despite being aware of the state law’s exemption of women undergoing abortions from murder charges.
Ramirez announced the dismissal of charges shortly after Gonzalez’s arrest. However, this came only after she had spent two nights in jail and faced public identification as a murder suspect.
In February, Ramirez agreed to pay a $1,250 fine and have his license suspended for 12 months as part of a settlement with the State Bar of Texas.
He acknowledged making a mistake and accepted the punishment to ensure the continued operation of his office and his ability to prosecute cases.
