Fr. Jenkins, president of Notre Dame who joined the Notre Dame delegation to the March for Life, held last Friday in Washington, D.C., came face to face with large banners urging him to “Free the ND88″ and many thousands of leaflets also calling out for his taking steps to end criminal prosecutions of the “ND88.”

Pro-Choice President at a Catholic University

These are 88 pro-lifers who peaceably bore witness to the sanctity of life last May, 2009, by entering upon Notre Dame’s famous campus just outside South Bend, Indiana, in a solemn, prayerful procession intended to counterbalance the anti-life message bound up with this Catholic university’s decision to invite pro-abortion president Obama to give the Commencement address to graduating students last May.

Indiana attorney Tom Dixon, who represents the “Notre Dame 88,” just learned that Judge Jenny Pitts Manier has formally accused him of violations of Indiana lawyer disciplinary rules, because he argued that she should “recuse” or remove herself from the cases. Dixon argued that a reasonable person may view the judge as biased against the “ND 88,” due to the judge’s husband having financial ties to Notre Dame, where he is a noted emeritus professor and outspoken opponent of Catholic teaching on human sexuality.

After briefing and argument in the Trial Court, Judge Manier denied the initial request for recusal, but agreed with the ND 88 attorneys that the issue should be certified for immediate consideration by the Indiana Court of Appeals. After the appeal was underway but before it was decided, Manier reversed her earlier decision and recused herself.

Details to follow as we learn more...

Judge Jenny Pitts Manier, the judge who was hearing the case against the “ND 88,” the 88 pro-lifers who were arrested while protesting President Obama’s scandalous appearance at the University of Notre Dame in May, 2009, recused herself and removed herself from the case due to a conflict of interest. You can read the whole story in the TMS press release on the story. Below you’ll find a list of media coverage of this breaking story. This post will be updated as more stories become available.

Thomas More Society Press Release:

For Immediate Release

Contact: Tom Ciesielka, 312-422-1333, tc@tcpr.net

Pro-Life Defendants Had Argued That Judge ‘Reasonably’ Appeared To Be Biased

January 11, 2010 (Notre Dame, Ind.)—In the ongoing case involving 88 pro-life demonstrators arrested at the University of Notre Dame in the days leading up to (and in some cases during) President Barack Obama’s commencement speech and receipt of an honorary degree, the assigned trial judge has recused herself just days after defense attorneys filed an appeal from her earlier ruling, denying recusal.

Thomas More Society President and Chief Counsel Thomas Brejcha will be in court on Thursday, December 3, to argue in favor of a motion to dismiss the charges against the ND 88.

These 88 protesters were arrested for trespassing on the campus of the University of Notre Dame during protests of President Obama’s scandalous commencement speech there last May. If convicted of these charges, the 88 could face up to one year in jail and a $5,000 fine.

TMS has repeatedly petitioned the University to drop the charges, respecting the protesters’ right to free speech and the school’s Catholic character, even drafting an open letter to University president Fr. John Jenkins. Fr. Jenkins has repeatedly insisted that it is not within his power to drop the charges.

Thomas More Society attorneys appeared in St. Joseph County Criminal Court today to argue for dismissal of trespass charges against pro-life advocates because campus police acted improperly. The charges were brought by local prosecutors based on complaints by University of Notre Dame security police during Obama protests last May at the University. In addition to the motion to dismiss, Thomas More Society attorney Tom Dixon argued that Judge Jenny Pitts Manier had an actual or perceived bias based on her prior rulings, her husband’s outspoken criticism of Catholic pro-life teachings as a philosophy professor at Notre Dame and other factors. Judge Manier, while denying the bias charges, ruled nonetheless that the prosecution should be halted to allow for an immediate appeal as to whether she should be disqualified from ruling on the merits of the 88 cases.

Obama wades into abortion debate with graduation speech
Breaking News 24/7
US President Barack Obama Sunday acknowledged the hot-button issue of abortion, as he addressed graduates at the University of Notre Dame, stressing that both sides could work together to help women facing unplanned pregnancies.

Democrats Lied- Kids May Die
The Lobbyist
if President Obama really wants to be the “post-partisan” president he talked about on the campaign trail, and wants to find the “middle ground” on abortion as he said at Notre Dame…he could always pressure Pelosi and Co. into accepting Stupak’s bill.

Is Notre Dame embarrassed by Catholic teachings? Funding gay “marriage” student trip says “Yes”
The Collins Report
Notre Dame, has used student organization funds to finance a trip for five of its students to Washington DC for a rally supporting Gay “marriage” a practice which directly violates the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church.

Opposing Viewpoints
JC Everson
I again ask in the name of Jesus that you arrange to have the charges of trespassing dropped against those protesters of abortion at Notre Dame.

L.A. video conferences continue
The Tidings

Arguing that the constitutionally protected rights of freedom of speech and equal protection under the law were violated by the arrests and criminal charges, attorney Tom Dixon filed a motion to dismiss all charges against the individuals arrested when President Obama came to Notre Dame last May.

Read the entire motion here (11 MB pdf file).

Arguing that the constitutionally protected rights of freedom of speech and equal protection under the law were violated by the arrests and criminal charges, attorney Tom Dixon filed a motion to dismiss all charges against the individuals arrested when President Obama came to Notre Dame last May.

Read the entire motion here (11 MB pdf file).