Man stabbed 7 times in fight with protester at Planned Parenthood
GRANTS PASS, Ore. (AP) - Police say a man was stabbed Tuesday during a violent confrontation with an abortion protester outside a Planned Parenthood health center in Grants Pass.
Officials said Ted Clair was stabbed seven times in the abdomen and neck during a fight with Christopher Tolhurst, who had signs denouncing abortion and Planned Parenthood.
Witnesses said that earlier in the day, Clair's 22-year-old daughter, Kailah Clair, argued with Tolhurst and kicked over his protest signs.
She returned later with her father, who confronted Tolhurst.
Witnesses reported Ted Clair pushed Tolhurst to the ground and punched him and then Tolhurst stabbed Clair.
Grants Pass police said no arrests have been made.
Ted Clair was hospitalized with serious injuries. Tolhurst was treated for facial swelling and bruising. Kailah Clair was treated for hand cuts and an arm bruise.
(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
No matter what the political sides have to say...It is not right that a pro life would try to kill some one..period. This is a perfect example of the oxymoron of pro life stance. Protect the unborn and kill them once they are here...strong message of insanity. The pro life movement has been killing over this issue for years. In the '80's they blew up a plan parenthood clinic. Yeah pro life - A woman's body should not be in a political battle ground period.
 @colorowdy This man was attacked. =/ He has every right to defend himself.Â
Judging by how KVAL has reported on the Whitney Heichel case...I am surprised, (but also relieved) that they did not detail exactly which church the assailants attended, and the religious beliefs within that Church.Â
Oh for Christ's Sake! The ridiculous partisan stereo-typing that is being spewed about on this thread is just stupid. Whether someone is a Republican or a Democrat has absolutely NOTHING to do with how they feel about abortion. There are just as many Democrats who believe that abortion is wrong as there are Republicans who believe in a woman's choice! SoupToNuts said it best in my opinion. Abortion as birth control just isn't right. Abortion because someone has been raped is justified. Either way...NOBODY should tell a woman that she has to carry a child that she doesn't want. It's HER body. I feel strongly about this and always have. Guess what....I'm a REPUBLICAN. <gasp!>
 @SwiftlyJust Considering that abortion is a platform that both the Republican and Democrats have official positions on, I hardly see how this is stereotyping. The statistics don't agree with you. Based on the latest reputable surveys I could find, 72% of Republicans are pro-life, while only 34% of Democrats consider themselves pro-life. It doesn't really matter if you're a Republican... on this issue your views are not that of the Republican party.Â
This issue is tough for me to relate too. Obama has let late term abortions be performed time and time again...it is simply murder..I do however believe there are times when it is okay to have an abortion..I also believe that adoption is a better alternative to abortion. BUT... what this girl did by confronting this man was wrong, him antagonizing her to the point where she lost herself in rage and hate was wrong also. Her father came to his daughters rescue, making it even worse...three wrongs, and one man seriously hurt, (a girls father), an antagonizing man with bruised face, and a young girl who has to live with the fact that her dad may never heal completely.I hope the police can reach some kind of solution to this...our leaders can't, bible thumpers can't, liberals can't...the supreme court is the only one who can...and they haven't gotten it right either.
 @PEANUT The executive branch is responsible for enforcing current law. What did Obama do that Bush didn't? =/ And what about abortion has the Supreme Court gotten wrong?Â
@PleaseBeSmart The supreme court hasn't taken a look at the issue in years..in a utopian world all would be happy with their decision..but very few are, and those who are really upset do things like this and people get hurt. The Supreme court can change this law that allows abortions, Obama has made it possible for partial birth abortions to be preformed....if you don't know what a partial birth abortion are..google it..but be warned..it is infaticide..Bush stopped it!...I remember exactly where I was when it was announced that it was law..his law..and supposed to be the law of the land..but Obummer changed it. I am both pro-choice and pro-life...I simply feel that the supreme court have a more moderate ruling. If you really want to see something sick..google how many abortions are being preformed in this country..then what race..then what city...I don't think there will ever be a right way or wrong way..but this way isn't the best way either.
 @PEANUT I found the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act, and all Bush did was sign it into law. It had previously passed Congress in 95 and 97 but Clinton vetoed it. As far as I can tell it's still in place. Obama doesn't agree with it but he doesn't seem to have done anything either. Correct me if I'm wrong, because I'm really just looking this up now. Everything I can find says it's still in effect. And it's really not the Supreme Court's job to make people happy or rule moderately... their sole function is to determine if things are constitutional or not. That should be their only consideration. And honestly, I don't have a problem with abortion. It doesn't really stir an emotional response in me at all before the age of viability, and even after I'm fine with it if it's because of a health issue or extenuating circumstances.Â
Hmmm. Views on abortion not withstanding, if someone shoved me to the ground and began punching me, I'd do ANYTHING to make sure I saw the next morning. ANYTHING. This is a 'no-brainer'.
Looks like a rabid protester got in a young woman's face and she went to her dad rather than the police. When her father stood up for her right to health care (the Grants Pass Planed Parenthood does NOT do abortions) the protester stabbed the man. If the protester had not been there where he has no business this never would have happened. No man has any right to harass a woman trying to obtain birth control or health care!
 @Blahblahblah Woooow... you gathered a lot from that article that wasn't even there. It says nothing about the protester getting in the woman's face. It says she kicked over his protest signs. And beating the crap out of a protesters is not "standing up for (his daughter's) right to health care." It's just assault. Since the protester wasn't arrested for trespassing, I'm assuming he was protesting on public land... which he has every right to do. And like it or not, women walking into a Planned Parenthood don't have special rights which protect them from insults. =/Â
I've never quite understood why these people care so much about something that in no way shape or form concerns them? These nuts are all republicants who want to cut all social programs,with the exception of tax cuts for the richest,take all sex education out of schools,and close places such as this,and my question is so what is going to happen to the unwanted babies? Why is it always some deluded man? A dead baby is better off than an unwanted one,and lets face it,life is hard enough when you are wanted. This old and tired battle is very counterproductive to the repulicants mission,and they are just to ignorant to see it.
@Eric B. Larson I am not a Republicant as you label them, but am a registered Independent. I think their main complaint is they don't want their tax dollars funding programs that they don't believe in. I believe the Democrats do the same thing. The Democrats usually protest much more than the Republicants (as you call them), and as a general rule are more violent. Checking other news it appears that a young lady kicked this protesters signs over, and they got into an argument. She went to get her father and her father assaulted the man. The police are looking at self defense. Now I am not for stabbing or shooting anyone, but maybe he felt his life was in danger, and if that was truly the case maybe he took the action he deemed necessary to save his life. By the way there surely are a lot of couple out there trying to adopt. I personally believe abortion as birth control is wrong. I believe abortion for rape or incest is warranted. I am also glad that I wasn't aborted, I am over 70 and have enjoyed every minute of it. Hope you have been as happy and glad you weren't aborted either.
 @souptonuts I agree with you partly,but I think this has far more to do with this groups religious beliefs,always has been in the past,and I can see these people using that as an excuse. I could blow up your computer screen with all the things I hate having to fund with my tax dollars,but I don't go out protesting them,they are just part of life,and we sadly can not pick and choose what our portion of the tax money is wasted/spent on. I don't have kids,don't want kids,in fact hate kids,so why should I fund the schools? Planned Parenthood does far more than just abortions,and they infact save the tax payer untold amounts of money,billions I would say. I can't stand these prolifers ignorance. People are just wired to want sex,we do it to reproduce,we do it for fun,and 99.9% of people out having sex are doing for pleasure,not babies,just a fact of life. We are hung up about sex in this country,still taboo to talk about,and thats just stupid,and costly. Grade school age children need sex ed. and it needs to become more detailed and graphic as they age into high school,so they are informed of the dangers and do not end up at Planned Parenthood needing an abortion. That makes sense,there is logic in that,but these people freak out at any mention. So they want no education then wonder why people end up there? This is a free country for the time being,Roe -V-Wade was decided by the public 40 years ago,you advance as a society,not backtrack. People need to mind there own business in these matters.
 @Eric B. Larson I'm aware that the people don't currently have a say in where our money goes. My entire point was that is not the way it is supposed to be. I took issue with your "don't go out protesting/just a part of life" comment. I don't see it as just a part of life... it's a wrong that needs to be corrected. Unfortunately, I do agree with you about the revolution bit.
 @PleaseBeSmart we don't have any true say in where the money goes,don't kid yourself. In Eugene there is a huge portion of the population that is totally 100% against the EMX in West Eugene,no public vote,that is funded by tax dollars,I've seen countless decent roads torn up and reworked while roads in dire need go un repaired,everywhere you look in government there is extreme waste. I could go on and on and on. Oh there may be some rules or guidelines of what is supposed to happen but we really don't have much say in how the government operates. I truly believe there are wiser people who should be elected President but they will never get the time of day because they won't play they two party system. Sorry I don't feel,I know I have no voice when it comes to matters of how this country is ran,just shut up and pay your taxes and deal with all the regulations and nonsense we create,and if you don't pay we'll have the IRS make your life a living hell. It isn't supposed to work that way,but it does. I have not accepted this,it ticks me off,but it is what it is. It is almost delusional for even a large group of people to challenge the government. It will take an all out revolution for things to change and I don't see that happening just yet.
 @Eric B. Larson I find it really unfortunate that you've just accepted that the citizens of this country have no say where their tax dollars go. That isn't at all how it is supposed to be. In fact, the federal level has quite strict restraints on what it is supposed to be involved in... and Planned Parenthood isn't something they have any RIGHT to fund, no matter how much good it does.
 @souptonuts While I mostly agree with you, Republicans have made it abundantly clear that they're against far more than just the funding issue. They want abortion banned, and have worked diligently to restrict it or make it more difficult every way imaginable. They're pro-life... not just pro-proper allocation of tax dollars. Libertarians are the ones who are against funding these programs but are pro-choice.Â
"No arrests have been made at this time"...but in the pic, it looks like someone was being arrested..?
 @UsaidWHAT Police can arrive to a hostile scene and cuff people without arresting.  Especially when weapons are involved.  They do this to gain order and diffuse the situation.  And I have no problem with them doing this as it protects the officer and if you didn't do anything you will be released.
Women shouldn't have to go through this sort of harassment by protesters.Republicans love your baby,until it is born then they stop caring.Planned Parenthood gives contraceptives,mammograms,and lots of other much needed services for Women.The Conservative movement is starting to act like the Taliban when it comes to the rights of women.
 @RelaxThereIsNoGod Ethically, yeah... women shouldn't have to deal with insults from protesters. But legally they're fair game. Physically attacking a protester? Both ethically and legally wrong. People have the right to protest without being assaulted. And I like Planned Parenthood. I don't think they should be receiving tax dollars though.