Louisiana seeks extradition of New York doctor accused of mailing abortion pills across state lines
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — Louisiana's attorney general has approved a request to extradite a New York doctor accused of illegally prescribing abortion pills to a minor in Louisiana, a case that has intensified legal battles over abortion access across state lines.
A West Baton Rouge Parish grand jury indicted Dr. Margaret Carpenter and her medical practice, Nightingale Medical, PC, on charges of violating Louisiana's abortion laws by prescribing abortion-inducing medication to a pregnant minor in the state. Prosecutors claim the girl suffered a medical emergency after taking the medication and was hospitalized.
Attorney General Liz Murrill announced Wednesday that she had signed off on Carpenter's extradition request, which has now been sent to Gov. Jeff Landry for final approval.
'We will take any and all legal actions to enforce the criminal laws of this state,' Murrill said.
Carpenter faces up to 15 years in prison and $200,000 in fines if convicted under Louisiana's near-total abortion ban, which criminalizes performing or facilitating abortions, including through medication.
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Carpenter's indictment is believed to be one of the first criminal cases against a doctor accused of sending abortion pills across state lines since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has vowed to block Carpenter's extradition and signed a law on Feb. 5 to shield the identities of doctors prescribing abortion medication.
'No doctor should go to jail for providing basic reproductive health care,' Hochul wrote on X, days after Carpenter's indictment. 'Some states want to prosecute our providers—but I'll fight like hell to protect them.'
The new New York law allows doctors to remove their names from abortion pill prescriptions, listing only their medical practice instead. Hochul said authorities in Louisiana were able to identify Carpenter because her name appeared on the medication label.
Carpenter was previously sued by the Texas attorney general for allegedly sending abortion pills to Texas, though that case was civil, not criminal.
It remains unclear whether New York will comply with Louisiana's extradition request.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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