Local police have also prepared special facilities for mass arrests. Nationwide, clinic blockades peaked in 1989, with 12,358 anti-abortion protesters arrested, according to figures compiled by the National Abortion Federation. Last year there were only 16 arrests, and there have been only two this year. Death threats, however, have spiked, and a spate of bombings has plagued North Carolina, where the notorious bombing suspect Eric Rudolph is still being pursued. Buckham and others conceded, however, that Slepian s murder dealt a severe blow to the clinic.
Fear stalks the corridors, prompting rapid staff turnover.
Jeff Stein writes frequently about criminal justice issues for Salon News. All rights reserved.