Grand Jury Declines to Indict Brittany Watts - Statement from Monica Simpson, Executive Director of SisterSong

“We are encouraged that the Trumbull County grand jury has decided not to indict Ms. Watts, and we are taking the time to acknowledge this positive development for Black women and for our community. At the same time, we know that Ms. Watts should have never been put in this position. Instead of receiving love and care so she could focus on healing from the trauma of losing a pregnancy, Ms. Watts was forced to fight for her freedom against criminal charges for her loss. She deserves reproductive justice, not the threat of criminalization. And that threat still looms for Black women and women of color, who are more likely to be overpoliced when it comes to abortion bans. That is why we must continue to advance Reproductive Justice, to push back on the criminalization of our communities, and to fight for our bodily autonomy. We are sending our best wishes to Ms. Watts.”