HOUSTON, Texas — A grand jury in Harris County, Texas, has declined to take any action against Houston-based Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast but has indicted the two people who took undercover videos. Texas leaders responded to the indictments of the pro-life activists by vowing to continue their investigation into the practices at Texas abortion facilities.
The two undercover investigators that were indicted, David Daleidon and Sandra Merritt, have alleged that Planned Parenthood illegally profitted from selling tissue of aborted babies. Planned Parenthood filed a federal lawsuit against Daleiden and Merritt and the Center for Medical Progress on January 14 asking for damages and for declaratory and injunctive relief.
The undercover video involving the Planned Parenthood abortion facility in Houston was the fifth released by Daleiden. As reported by Breitbart News' Austin Ruse, it shows the director of Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast, Melissa Farrell, discussing the sale of whole intact aborted babies and discussing the altering of the abortion process in order to obtain whole intact babies.
In the video (which is included the Breitbart News article), Farrell talks about "specimens" ranging from 14 to 22 weeks in gestational age and says she has six "providers" who will abort babies that are older than 16 weeks.
As reported by Ruse, the video shows Farrell talking about "diversification of the revenue stream." Moreover, when she is complimented on her financial background and her ability to see the financial benefits in buying and selling fetal body parts, she does not correct the investigator who complimented her. She also does not deny that Planned Parenthood is in the business for financial gain.
As reported by Breitbart News after the video was released, the Houston Planned Parenthood director nods and agrees that her department "contributes so much to the bottom line" and says her research department is the largest of all other similar departments at the abortion provider combined.
Planned Parenthood and StemExpress, the primary purchaser of aborted baby organs, deny that the organs are sold for a profit. They claim any funds obtained cover reasonable expenses.
Breitbart Texas was at a press conference in early August 2015 when Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick asked Harris County District Attorney Devon Anderson to investigate Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast. His request came just a day after the release of the fifth video.