Catholic Pro-Life Ministries in New Mexico

Pro-Choice Attack in Albuquerque

Tue Jan 13 '09 3:32 pm

A pro-choice man brutally attacked a pro-life sidewalk counselor outside an Albuquerque Planned Parenthood abortion clinic today. Phillip Leahy, who has ministered for many years outside various Albuquerque abortion clinics, was attacked with a baseball bat while attempting to provide information and options to people entering the Planned Parenthood abortion clinic.

Leahy was in a public street, standing on a scaffolding in order to be able to speak to people on the other side of the wall that surrounds the abortion clinic. Sources say that a man brought a girl into the Planned Parenthood abortion clinic, then drove his car around to the alley, got out, approached Leahy and swung at him with a baseball bat.

It is unknown currently whether the man struck Leahy with the bat. In any event, the scaffold was struck and the pro-life activist was knocked to the ground. Witnesses report that Leahy appeared to be in great pain before an ambulance arrived to take him to the UNM Hospital Emergency Room.

Father Stephen Imbarrato, chaplain of Project Defending Life, went immediately to the hospital to minister to Leahy. Leahy’s current condition is unknown. More information will be published here as it becomes available.

More information

The photo at the right shows sidewalk counselor Phillip Leahy crouching at the place near an Albuquerque abortion clinic where he was attacked today by a pro-choice assailant.

Download High-resolution photos for use in your own news stories.

Article and photos ©2009 Project Defending Life. Permission hereby granted to reproduce in any form with attribution to www.defendinglife.org

Update, 4:55 PM

From Father Stephen: “Phil is waiting results of his x-rays. I anointed him and left him some Holy Water and the priest chaplain brought him communion. Most likely he has a broken right shoulder and / or hip. He is in a lot of pain. He will call me later when they admit him and give me his room number and we’ll send it out.”

Update, 5:07 PM

The police said they could not interview the girl the perpetrator dropped off due to doctor-patient confidentiality. Yet the police assure us they have a “good idea” of who the assailant is. We have asked that the police contact us when Phil’s attacker is arrested.

Coverage on other sites

  • KOB TV, local television station

More updates

Victim of pro-choice violence is recovering

Planned Parenthood comments on attack on pro-lifer

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