‘Reproductive Rights Blockade Trio Sentenced for Civil Rights Conspiracy’

WASHINGTON – In a grim reminder that violence has no place in America’s reproductive health discourse, a U.S. District Court judge today sentenced three of 10 defendants who conspired to create a blockade at a Washington, D.C. reproductive health care clinic to prevent the clinic from providing, and patients from receiving, reproductive health services.

The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, and FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division. U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly sentenced:

Lauren Handy, 30, of Alexandria, Virginia, to 57 months in prison and three years of supervised release for her role in a civil rights conspiracy and Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act violations.

John Hinshaw, 69, of Levittown, New York, received 21 months of incarceration and three years of supervised release for his involvement in the same crimes. William Goodman, 54, of Bronx, New York, was sentenced to 27 months and three years of supervised release for his part in the civil rights conspiracy and FACE Act violations.

All three defendants were convicted by a jury of their crimes. Four additional defendants will be sentenced tomorrow and two more in the coming weeks. Jay Smith, the only defendant to plead guilty, was sentenced to 10 months in prison and three years of supervised release in March 2023.

“These defendants conspired to use force to prevent fellow citizens from exercising rights protected by law,” said U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Matthew Graves. “People cannot resort to using force and intimidation to prevent others from engaging in lawful activity simply because they disagree with the law. The Department was founded to protect the civil rights of our citizens and remains steadfast in this mission.”

“Violence has no place in our national discourse on reproductive health,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Using force, threatening to use force or physically obstructing access to reproductive health care is unlawful. As we mark the 30th anniversary of the FACE Act, it’s important that we not lose sight of the history of violence against reproductive health care providers including the murder of Dr. David Gunn in Florida – tragic and horrific events that led to passage of the law. The Justice Department will continue to protect both patients seeking reproductive health services and providers of those services. We will hold accountable those who seek to interfere with access to reproductive health services in our country.”

“As evidenced by today’s sentencings, the FBI and our judicial system will not tolerate the obstruction of civil rights,” said Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg. “The FBI will continue to investigate FACE Act violations in all jurisdictions, so patients and providers can exercise their right to receive or provide lawful reproductive health care without the threat of violence or intimidation.”

As the evidence at trial showed, the defendants engaged in a conspiracy to create a blockade at the reproductive health care clinic to prevent the clinic from providing, and patients from receiving, reproductive health services. As part of the conspiracy, Handy, Hinshaw, and Goodman traveled to Washington, D.C. from various northeast and midwestern states, to meet with Handy and participate in a clinic blockade that was directed by Handy and was broadcast on Facebook.

According to the evidence, Handy, Hinshaw, and Goodman – along with their co-conspirators – forcefully entered the clinic and set about blockading two clinic doors using their bodies, furniture, chains, and ropes. Once the blockade was established, their activities were live-streamed. The evidence also showed that the defendants violated the FACE Act by using a physical obstruction to injure, intimidate and interfere with the clinic’s employees and a patient, because they were providing or obtaining reproductive health services.