County prosecutor fights Missouri abortion ban’s criminal penalties in court

Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker is seeking to strike down Missouri’s criminal penalties for abortion, adding to an already intense legal confrontation playing out in St. Louis that could result in a judge overturning the state’s near-total ban. The Democratic prosecutor, whose jurisdiction includes much of Kansas City, last month filed a petition in St. Louis Circuit Court arguing the criminal penalties violate the Missouri Constitution’s guarantees of equal protection. Baker’s filing came in an ongoing lawsuit brought by progressive faith leaders challenging the abortion ban on re...