US / abortion Anti-Abortion Groups Use Grand Juries on Foes New/old weapon springs from 19th-century statute By Kevin Spak, Newser Staff Posted Jun 17, 2008 3:01 PM CDT Copied Operation Rescue President Troy Newman, center, speaks during a press conference outside George Tiller's clinic in Wichita, Kan., Wednesday, April 18, 2007. (AP Photo/Larry W. Smith) Anti-abortion activists in Kansas are using an obscure 19th-century statute to convene grand juries to hear evidence against abortion-performing doctors, the New York Times reports. In several states, citizens who collect enough signatures can circumvent prosecutors and order their own investigation of an alleged crime. A Kansas doctor, for example, is being investigated to see if he performs illegal late-term abortions. story continues below Critics decry the tactic as political harassment. “This is an abuse of the grand jury system,” said one Republican state senator from Kansas. “It’s being used in a political way to further a political cause.” One anti-abortion advocate disagreed: “This is a measure for the people to get some justice,” he said, “and that’s exactly what we’re doing.” (More abortion stories.) Report an error