Gov. Strickland moves to let abortion pill ruling stand

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Ohio Governor Ted Strickland (D-Lisbon)

CINCINNATI (AP) — Gov. Ted Strickland wants the state to drop an appeal of a federal court ruling striking down a law restricting the use of a pill that induces abortion.

“Because Gov. Strickland does not wish to seek reversal of the lower court’s order, he seeks to withdraw his appeal,” Attorney General Marc Dann of Liberty wrote in a brief filed last week with the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

The law was supposed to take effect in 2004. It would have made it illegal for doctors to prescribe mifepristone, known as RU-486, after the seventh week of pregnancy.

U.S. District Court Judge Susan Dlott ruled in September that the law was unconstitutional. She said it was confusing and doctors couldn’t be expected to understand its requirements.

State officials argued that the law was intended to protect women in accordance with U.S. Food and Drug Administration guidelines.