The potential future of Kentucky without Roe v. Wade
Dear Subscriber,
A firestorm of controversy spread across the country this week following the leak of a draft opinion from the U.S. Supreme Court that could potentially overturn Roe v. Wade, the historic lawsuit that established a constitutional right to abortion nearly 50 years ago.
Investigative reporter Andrew Wolfson dug into the impact that could be felt here in the commonwealth: a potential return to dangerous procedures that led to many women losing their lives.
Diving into historical records and speaking with experts, Andy learned that prior to Roe v. Wade, women in Kentucky dying from complications of illegal abortions and at-home methods were fairly common.
Meanwhile, some anti-abortion activists feel the chance of people turning to unsafe methods for the procedure is no reason to overturn a new Kentucky law that would halt all abortion services after 15 weeks of pregnancy. Effects of that law are currently on hold, pending appeal.
Abortion rights advocates worry, however, that the move will impact poor and underserved individuals the most, especially as they may not be able to travel to other states where abortion is allowed to receive care. Andy found that could mean more people turning to alternatives from the black market or finding other means to receive the procedure, though experts believe the number of abortions is unlikely to decrease further.
The Supreme Court's opinion has not been finalized, but the debate will likely continue until then — and long after it's handed down.
Being with The Courier Journal for nearly 40 years, Andy has drilled down into stories about everything from prosecutorial misconduct to safety at horse racing tracks here in Louisville and beyond. His work has earned him several honors over the course of his career, including the George Polk Award for National Reporting and being part of two Pulitzer Prize-winning teams of journalists.
Andy and other reporters at The Courier Journal have been able to tell impactful and historical stories like these only thanks to subscribers like you. You'll find more of those stories below. As always, we appreciate you and thank you for supporting local journalism here in Louisville.
Sincerely,
Mary Irby-Jones
Executive Editor
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: The potential future of Kentucky without Roe v. Wade
