South Dakota challenges Roe v Wade

Mar 7 16:43 UTC 2006

(AP) The governor of South Dakota signed into law yesterday a ban on 
nearly all abortions in the state, setting up a court fight aimed at 
challenging the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion 
in the United States.

The new law makes it a crime for doctors to perform an abortion unless the 
procedure is necessary to save a woman's life.  It makes no exception for 
cases of rape or incest.  Under the measure doctors could get up to five 
years in prison for performing an illegal abortion.

Planned Parenthood immediately pledged to challenge the measure.  The 
Legislature passed the bill last month after supporters argued that the 
recent appointment of conservative justices John Roberts and Samuel Alito 
have made the U.S. Supreme Court more likely to overturn Roe v Wade.