Stonewall: Albemarle authorities mum on Planned Parenthood disturbance

(Note: The following information has been obtained from reliable sources, but local authorities would not confirm details.)

A non-English speaking family, apparently distraught over their adult daughter’s decision to have an abortion, locked themselves in the waiting room of Planned Parenthood’s Albemarle abortuary on Thursday.

According to reliable sources:

• At approximately 8:27 AM, Charlottesville’s Emergency Communications Center (ECC) received a 911 call from someone at Planned Parenthood.
• An Albemarle County police unit was dispatched “priority 2” (no lights or siren) to the facility.
• Upon receipt of a 2^nd 911 call, which was followed by an open 911 line (i.e. no response on the caller’s side) another unit was dispatched, this time, “priority 1” (with lights and siren)
• The woman seeking the abortion was approximately 21 years old, possibly with the last name of “Hernandez.”
• At least three members of Ms. “Hernandez’s” family intervened by breaching Planned Parenthood security and then securing the entrance doors behind them.
• An ID presented by one of those involved (presumably, Ms. Hernandez) was a license from North Carolina, which when run by police, came back under the identity of an entirely different person.
• Spanish-speaking officers were sought as those involved were limited English proficiency.
• The Planned Parenthood incident took approximately one hour to “resolve.”

When queried for information, Albemarle County Police spokesman, Carter Johnson was responsive but tightlipped:

From: “Carter Johnson” <johnsonc@albemarle.org>
Date: May 2, 2013 10:15:47 AM EDT
To: Rob Schilling
Subject: RE: Planned Parenthood Incident

Rob,

There was a disorder at Planned Parenthood this morning.  A family did locked the doors of the waiting room but the disorder was peacefully resolved.  Planned parenthood is not pressing charges. No one was injured.

Hope that helps!

A plea for further details was issued:

From: Schilling Show
Sent: Thursday, May 02, 2013 10:49 AM
To: Carter Johnson
Subject: Re: Planned Parenthood Incident

Thanks, Carter. Can you please provide names and ages of those involved? Also, incident and resolution times, and copies of 911 calls if they exist?

Johnson refused to release additional info and deferred to the ECC for 911 call details:

From: “Carter Johnson” <johnsonc@albemarle.org>
Date: May 2, 2013 11:01:11 AM EDT
To: “Schilling Show”
Subject: RE: Planned Parenthood Incident

Hi Rob,

I can’t release the names and ages of those involved because Planned Parenthood is a medical facility and they were there for a medical procedure.  The call came in to 911 at 8:27.  As for a copy of the calls, you would have to request that from the ECC.  We are not the custodians of those records.

An inquiry to the ECC netted further stonewalling:

From: “Kathy Richardson” <KRICHARD@albemarle.org>
Date: May 2, 2013 05:31:25 PM EDT
To: “Schilling Show”
Subject: RE: FOIA Request: 911 Call

Good afternoon,

I was informed that this is still an ongoing criminal investigation and therefore those records will not be produced at this time. Pursuant to your request under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act I am denying your request under Virginia Code Section §2.2-3706(H)(1). Please let me know if you have any further questions.

Richardson’s contention that this was an “ongoing criminal investigation” was in stark contrast to Carter Johnson’s initial statement that the incident was “peacefully resolved” and that Planned Parenthood “is not pressing charges.”

When asked to resolve the discrepancy in statements, Richardson responded tersely:

From: “Kathy Richardson” <KRICHARD@albemarle.org>
Date: May 2, 2013 07:15:19 PM EDT
To: “Schilling Show”
Cc: “Carter Johnson” <johnsonc@albemarle.org>
Subject: Re: FOIA Request: 911 Call

I have been informed by both Carter and Denise Lunsford that this is still an active investigation and was asked to withhold the records citing that exemption. My position has not changed unless they advise me otherwise.

A request of Carter Johnson for further clarification and statement resolution was unaddressed as of publication time.

Many unanswered questions arise from this incident:

• Why was this incident not reported on by the Charlottesville mainstream media?
• Why did police spokesman, Carter Johnson, imply that the case was closed if it was not?
• Why were the identities of adult family members (who were not patients there) protected simply because the incident took place at a “medical facility”?

The Albemarle Police Department, the Emergency Communications Center, and the Albemarle Commonwealth’s Attorney have proven their ability to stonewall. Can they now prove their commitment to transparency and good public service?