Anniversary: Jolene Griffith, Illegal Abortion Death

On March 3, 1962, Dr. J. Bryan Henrie, an osteopath, performed an abortion on Jolene Joyce Griffith, at his clinic in Grove, Oklahoma. Jolene developed an infection, and, according to her survivors, Griffith abandoned her and provided no care to treat the infection. On March 10, Jolene was admitted to a hospital in Tulsa. She died there on March 25, leaving behind a husband and three minor children. (395 P.2d 809, 1964 OK 215; Supreme Court of Oklahoma.J. Bryan HENRIE, Plaintiff in Error,v.Derrell H. Griffith, Administrator of the Estate of Jolene Joyce Griffith,Deceased)



For more on pre-legalization abortion, see The Bad Old Days of Abortion

To email this post to a friend, use the icon below.