A Georgia judge granted a $1 bond to Alexia Moore, 31, who faces a murder charge for allegedly using abortion pills to terminate a pregnancy at approximately 22 to 24 weeks gestation. The bond hearing took place in Camden County Superior Court, where Judge Steven Blackerby expressed doubts about the viability of the murder charge, noting it would be difficult to convict.
Moore was arrested on March 4 after hospital staff reported that she disclosed taking misoprostol, a medication used to induce abortion, along with oxycodone. Police documents indicate the fetus had a detectable heartbeat and survived for about an hour after delivery at the hospital.
The total bond was set at $2,001, including $1,000 bonds for two drug-related charges accompanying the murder accusation. District Attorney Keith Higgins did not oppose the bond and noted that local police charged Moore without prior consultation with his office. Before trial, a grand jury indictment would be required.
Moore’s case marks one of the first prosecutions under Georgia’s 2019 abortion law, which bans abortions after about six weeks of gestation, when embryonic cardiac activity is usually detected. Moore was released following the bond payment.
The Georgia Public Defender Council, representing Moore, issued a statement emphasizing that the decision underscores the importance of due process and constitutional protections, cautioning against conviction based solely on accusation.
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