July 19, 2023 • 29 mins
Forced to take a step back from the case, Sarah is confronted with the flesh and blood people she's fighting for. She makes a crucial decision.
~~ Cast Credits ~~
Sarah Weddington: Maya Hawke
Harry Blackmun: William H. Macy
Deb: Andrea Savage
Annette: Jenn Colella
Dr. Kaplan: Tirzah Mannes
Flight Attendant: Sarah Erickson
Grace: LaChrisha Brown
Polly: Meghan Grant
Wanda: Kim Yancey Moore
Woman #1: Amy Goodmurphy
Woman #2: Christine Bortolin
Woman #3: Angela Galanopolous
Woman #4: Sarah Erickson
Woman #5: LaChrisha Brown
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
The following episode contains mature themes and imagery. Listener discretion
is advised. From iHeart Podcasts. This is Supreme The Battle
for Row Against to Wait, starring Maya Hawk and William H.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Macy.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
Appreciate whenever you are ready, mister Chief Justice and Maya
pleased the Court.
Speaker 4 (00:36):
Episode five. Good for the brief, Ladies and gentlemen.
Speaker 5 (00:44):
We've now beg on our initial descent and in Dallas.
Speaker 6 (00:47):
We hope you enjoyed your flight.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
Thank you for flying with us today. Need a ride.
Speaker 7 (00:55):
Stranger, Dev?
Speaker 4 (01:02):
What are you doing here?
Speaker 8 (01:03):
Sorry?
Speaker 3 (01:03):
I didn't have time to make one of those signs
with your name on it.
Speaker 7 (01:07):
He told me what flight you were on.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
Thought you could use a lift?
Speaker 7 (01:10):
Really? Yes, really, Sarah? Why is everyone always so surprised
that I'm nice?
Speaker 3 (01:17):
How is the flight?
Speaker 9 (01:19):
I don't have a lot to compare it to, but bumpy,
I do not intend to get back on one of
those things for a long time.
Speaker 7 (01:26):
And how is New York?
Speaker 3 (01:28):
Pete say as good as they say pizza?
Speaker 9 (01:31):
Is that really what you want to know?
Speaker 10 (01:33):
Dev?
Speaker 7 (01:33):
I'm just making conversations, Sarah.
Speaker 4 (01:36):
Just say whatever you came to say, Dev.
Speaker 6 (01:37):
I know you're going to anyway.
Speaker 3 (01:39):
And what do I want to say.
Speaker 9 (01:41):
You'll probably start with it I told you so you
were right not to trust Roy Lucas. Then maybe you'll
want to call me a coward, maybe a quitter, a
trader to the cause, and whatever other insults you can
think of.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
Okay, being surprised I'm nice is one thing, assuming I'm
just waiting to insult you.
Speaker 7 (01:57):
Is actually there.
Speaker 11 (01:58):
Was no decision to make.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
It was made for me.
Speaker 4 (02:00):
I was kicked off the case.
Speaker 9 (02:01):
M keep telling yourself that you never want me on
this case anyway. Deb you judge me from the start.
You didn't think I was radical enough. But let me
guess now that Roy Lucas is taken over, you're just
positive the case needs to be handled by a lady lawyer,
no matter how unradical she is not.
Speaker 3 (02:18):
Just to be clear, I haven't said any of that, Sarah.
You have, but I know you dead. Oh wow, Look
who's judging now? I can see you're mad, Sarah. And
you know what mad I can relate to. Who's ever
fighting for.
Speaker 7 (02:31):
Us has to be mad, big mad, and have skin
in the game. Roy Lucas is a damn good lawyer.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
I believe you, and I'm sure he'd like to win
this thing. It's another notch on his bedpost. But here's
the difference. He'd like to win. We need to win.
Speaker 9 (02:48):
Roy has experienced Deb the case will be safe in
his hands.
Speaker 3 (02:51):
Well, if it wasn't safe in yours, you should have
told us that before. Now you already won in the
lower court, Sarah, I believe in going in with the
hot hand.
Speaker 12 (03:00):
Just past our exit?
Speaker 9 (03:01):
You know, Deb, did you hear me?
Speaker 4 (03:04):
This isn't the way to my house?
Speaker 9 (03:05):
Where are we going?
Speaker 3 (03:07):
Just come with me today?
Speaker 4 (03:09):
Where what's going on?
Speaker 3 (03:10):
A few weeks ago you assigned be me and other
girls from the group to collect stories.
Speaker 11 (03:15):
For the supporting briefs.
Speaker 4 (03:16):
Yeah, has that going?
Speaker 9 (03:17):
We need to submit them to the Supreme Court before argument.
Speaker 3 (03:20):
M Look who's interested?
Speaker 7 (03:22):
So you haven't quit the case?
Speaker 9 (03:24):
No, Deb, I haven't quit the case. Roy's become in
lead counsel. He'll be the one to argue in court.
But I plan on assisting him. However, I can great.
Then come with me, you can assist to collect stories.
Speaker 3 (03:37):
I just cut off the plane.
Speaker 9 (03:38):
I haven't even seen rong yet.
Speaker 7 (03:39):
Sarah. You're acting like you have a choice. I'm driving, Deb.
Speaker 9 (03:44):
Come on, you've been give me crep since day one.
You know, I just did this for the legal experience.
Speaker 7 (03:49):
Time to let the professionals take over.
Speaker 9 (03:51):
You should be doing backflips.
Speaker 8 (03:53):
Uh huh?
Speaker 2 (03:59):
Where are we?
Speaker 10 (04:00):
This is the nicest neighborhood.
Speaker 3 (04:02):
I got those girl's name from someone I spoke to
at the referral service.
Speaker 12 (04:06):
You'll see.
Speaker 13 (04:16):
Hi are you deb?
Speaker 3 (04:18):
I am, and this is Sarah Weddington.
Speaker 13 (04:21):
Nice to meet you both.
Speaker 5 (04:22):
I'm call me Polly. Come on in my mother's outs.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
Your timing is perfect.
Speaker 13 (04:29):
Get you anything. I made some lemonade.
Speaker 4 (04:32):
I'm fine, Thank you.
Speaker 3 (04:33):
Lemonade would be great. Polly. Thanks your friend Annie told
me you might be willing to talk to Sarah and
me about your situation.
Speaker 13 (04:41):
Annie said I could trust you too.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
You can. We're putting together a case for the Supreme Court.
Speaker 13 (04:46):
I know, but I can't testify.
Speaker 9 (04:48):
There are no witnesses in the Supreme Court. Actually, we
send them a long documents story called briefs. The more
pertinent stories we can include about the women of the
law effects the better.
Speaker 3 (04:57):
We just want to hear your story, Polly, or may
take some notes if that's okay.
Speaker 13 (05:02):
Are you an assistant on the case. Missus Whittington.
Speaker 9 (05:08):
Yeah, I guess so. So Polly isn't your real name.
Speaker 13 (05:14):
I take it. Annie said you wouldn't need my name.
Speaker 3 (05:18):
We don't. Polly'll do just fine.
Speaker 5 (05:21):
I'd lose my job. You can't let anyone know I
spoke to you. My daddy's a lawyer.
Speaker 13 (05:26):
If you try to pin this on me.
Speaker 9 (05:28):
No one's trying to pin anything on you, Poullie, not
on anyone. Pseudonyms work for us for the brief. Long
as all the other details are accurate, your real name
will be kept under lock and key.
Speaker 4 (05:38):
I promise.
Speaker 13 (05:40):
I'm sorry to be so.
Speaker 5 (05:43):
It's just the way I've been treated all this time.
Let's just say I don't have any illusions anymore. But
you didn't expect to see a girl like me in
this situation.
Speaker 4 (05:54):
What kind of girl is that, Polly?
Speaker 5 (05:56):
I don't know.
Speaker 13 (05:57):
I was a cheerleader. Daddy's a lawyer.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
All types of girls need abortions. Polly, you got nothing
to be ashamed about.
Speaker 13 (06:05):
See the diaphragm failed. You believe that?
Speaker 5 (06:10):
And I was not gonna keep my professor's baby ruin
my life just because a stupid rubber disc got dislodged.
Speaker 9 (06:19):
How far along were you.
Speaker 5 (06:20):
I'd only missed one period, but enough to start panicking.
I tried to find a doctor, but no one would
even talk to me. So I came up with an idea.
Speaker 13 (06:31):
I figured if I started the job, a doctor would
have no choice.
Speaker 11 (06:35):
But to finish it.
Speaker 5 (06:36):
If you turn up at the hospital and show them
you're bleeding, they have to take care of you.
Speaker 6 (06:40):
That's the law.
Speaker 5 (06:42):
My aunt Irene wasn't as smart as me. I was
not going to be like her. I wasn't gonna rely
on the knitting needle and then just try to tough
it out. That's how you end up did You must
must get a doctor involved to kind of clean it up.
Speaker 13 (06:58):
So I was just gonna get it started. It hurt
so much, I.
Speaker 5 (07:04):
Swear it felt like I was a soldier getting stitched
up on a field with no anesthesia. Just gritted my
teeth and did what it had to be done. I
called the taxi. I told the cab driver not to
take me to the Cavolic hospital, to go to the
one on Wisconsin instead.
Speaker 13 (07:20):
But I'm not great with blood, and there was a
lot of it, big streak of blood on the taxi seat.
Speaker 5 (07:27):
Actually, I was so embarrassed I was back there trying
to wipe it up with my skirt. But I was dizzy.
I was so worried I was going to bleed out.
Right in the back of this man's cab. I almost fainted.
Speaker 13 (07:40):
Luckily the cab driver was a.
Speaker 5 (07:42):
Kind man, tells me to put my head back, talks
to me the whole time, wanted to keep me awake.
Speaker 13 (07:50):
He said he had a daughter my age.
Speaker 5 (07:52):
When we got there, I fell right out of the car,
hit my head on the curb.
Speaker 13 (07:57):
The nurses came running. Remember a lot after that, except.
Speaker 5 (08:05):
Except what one nurse was pretty darn cruel whispered to
one of the others that I was going to hell.
She doesn't need to tell me I'm going to hell.
I'm Catholic, I know that, but that's another day's worry.
Speaker 9 (08:19):
So it's fair to say your faith complicated the decision
about how to handle the unloaded pregnancy.
Speaker 5 (08:25):
No, Missus Weddington, it simplified it. Being Catholic is what
drove me to getting it done. My mother actually said
a few years ago, if you get pregnant, dear, have
it taken care of and don't ever let me know
about it. Mother's desperate for me to marry us in
marry up. She wants me to marry a boy named Perry,
(08:46):
actually Protestant.
Speaker 13 (08:47):
To Perry. She'd die if she knew I.
Speaker 5 (08:50):
Had an abortion, and my Jewish professor's abortion at that.
But she'd extra die if I turned up pregnant, my
big belly window and all her dreams a social climate.
Speaker 13 (09:03):
I'm gonna get some water. Can I get you to
anything more?
Speaker 3 (09:07):
We actually need to go in a minute.
Speaker 5 (09:08):
Polly, I'll just be a sec My throat is suddenly
so dry.
Speaker 3 (09:20):
I can't believe I'm the one saying this. But your
bedside manner could use some work, Sarah, So it's fair
to say your faith complicated your decision about how to
handle your unwanted pregnancy. Come on, she's a scared twenty
year old. Talk to her like a human being.
Speaker 9 (09:36):
We need to think like the non male judges who
will be reading this dep We need to pretend we're
cross examining her if we want these briefs to have
any weight, because you know what the justices will be
thinking that she seduced her professor, got pregnant, could have
kept the baby and raised it with a man with
a stable job, or given it up for adoption. But
mostly what they'll be thinking is there that she should
have kept her legs closed if she didn't want to
(09:56):
get pregnant. Sounds like she had a consensual affair and
then just turn it the human life growing inside her
because her mom would have been embarrassed.
Speaker 13 (10:04):
Wow, I'm not saying that's.
Speaker 9 (10:06):
What I think, Dad, But what I think isn't relevant.
Speaker 3 (10:09):
I went to a Methodist college, just like Polly's not
a lot of clothes legs, Sarah.
Speaker 9 (10:13):
Everybody's doing it isn't a strong legal argument.
Speaker 13 (10:15):
Deb I was just telling you the truth.
Speaker 9 (10:18):
Polly, I know you were. I'm just trying to think
of what will be helpful for the case winning the
justice's sympathy.
Speaker 13 (10:25):
Who would be good sympathy?
Speaker 5 (10:27):
Huh? Maybe you should include the fact that that I
can't have kids anymore at twenty. That's what the doctors
told me. Anyway, I probably won't be able to carry
a pregnancy. At least I won't have to worry about
getting another abortion.
Speaker 3 (10:59):
Proud of yourself, Sarah, I particularly no, when did we
switch places? I thought I was the cynical, sarcastic bitch
and you were the peppy, prom queen.
Speaker 9 (11:08):
What I am is a lawyer, deb not a shorthands stonographer.
We have to think like the opposition here or the
briefs are meaningless. I thought you wanted to win.
Speaker 6 (11:17):
I'm sorry, I'm cranky.
Speaker 4 (11:19):
Can we stop for lunch before the next one?
Speaker 2 (11:21):
I thought you'd never ask.
Speaker 9 (11:36):
I swear, Tob I could eat everything.
Speaker 14 (11:38):
On this menu right now.
Speaker 3 (11:39):
Yeah, I think I've lost my appetite completely.
Speaker 6 (11:44):
Oh ladies, what can I get you?
Speaker 9 (11:46):
Hi?
Speaker 3 (11:46):
Annette?
Speaker 6 (11:47):
Do I know you?
Speaker 3 (11:48):
It's deb Margulis. We've spoken on the phone. This is
Sarah Weddington. When's your next.
Speaker 8 (11:54):
Break, lady lawyer? Huh?
Speaker 6 (12:08):
What a time to be alive.
Speaker 3 (12:09):
Sarah won the case for us in Dallas. She's a
transitioning in a role before the Supreme Court.
Speaker 8 (12:15):
Though.
Speaker 6 (12:16):
Let me guess a man is tagging you out.
Speaker 9 (12:18):
How do you and Debt know each other?
Speaker 6 (12:21):
I'll take that as a yes, we don't know each other. Actually,
we spoke on the phone that preferred me to someone
last time I got pregnant.
Speaker 3 (12:30):
Yeah, that was before we had doctors we could rely
on in that. I still feel guilty.
Speaker 6 (12:35):
Hey, I survived and it worked, right, I got unpregnant.
Speaker 3 (12:38):
You also ended up in a hospital, still worked Annette.
Speaker 9 (12:42):
We're taking stories for our brief If I could start
with some basic infone name, age.
Speaker 6 (12:46):
Occupation Annette waitress. Obviously I'm not going to give you
a last name. Thirty two years old. I know I
look older. I have kids will do that to you.
Speaker 4 (12:57):
When did you last have the procedure?
Speaker 6 (13:00):
Wish I had it thirteen years ago. That's why I'm
in this whole mess. This whole mess being my life.
I had Marissa when I was nineteen. My boyfriend pulled
a disappear and act better than the amazing Randy. My
father leaned on the Porschnook's family as hard as he could,
but no dice. I'm making it to the altar. My
(13:22):
mom was so embarrassed she kept us all inside, including
my brothers and sisters. Couldn't show our faces in the
neighborhood for two months, and they found me a replacement husband, Bill,
he worked with my father at the factory, graciously agreed
to raise my little bastard baby girl. I've had four
more kids since then.
Speaker 9 (13:41):
And does Bill know you terminated the most recent pregnancy.
Speaker 6 (13:45):
You got any idea how diired I am?
Speaker 11 (13:48):
Do you have kids?
Speaker 6 (13:49):
Missus Weddington.
Speaker 4 (13:50):
No, I don't.
Speaker 6 (13:53):
Bill doesn't get along with the oldest Marissa. The others do,
all right, they're little, but him and Marissa. It's bad.
And forget about money. This last time you knocked me up,
i'd just gotten a job at my kid's school. They
fire the pregnant teachers as soon as they find out
school policy. I tried to get the abortion before I
started showing, but the principal's witch of a secretary caught
me vomiting in the bathroom fired me that afternoon.
Speaker 3 (14:15):
Where'd you get this one done? A natte?
Speaker 6 (14:18):
The guy y'all referred me to told me to bring
five hundred bucks and wait outside the Starlight Diner. Where
the hell was I going to get five hundred bucks?
Might as well have been five hundred thousand. You don't
want to know how I got it, but I got
it anyway. I was told to get in a blucid
end that pulled up to the diner at six am.
(14:38):
They blindfolded me. You believe that.
Speaker 3 (14:41):
I'm so sorry.
Speaker 6 (14:44):
I was shaking. I was so scared. I kept thinking
none of my people knew where I was going. What
if I never came back? What would happen to Marissa
and the rest of them. Maybe they'd think I'd just
abandoned them. But when they took off my blindfold, it
looked like a real doctor's office. Clean. They gave me
a shot, said it was antibiotics, no anesthesia, no anesthesia.
Speaker 4 (15:10):
Are you serious?
Speaker 3 (15:11):
Well that's pretty typical, Sarah. She had complications from the anesthesia.
They could get found out too much of her risk.
Speaker 6 (15:19):
Plus they gotta get a cent and out of there quick.
Can't be waiting for us to come too. I have
given birth five times. How a root canal wants electrocute
of myself on the toaster and nothing, Nothing has hurt
me so bad as that can.
Speaker 9 (15:32):
I just asking it. Why didn't you go to another state?
It's legal in California or New York.
Speaker 6 (15:37):
How the hell you think I'm going to afford to
go to California and take days off, lose this job,
and who's going to take care of the kids? Not built?
I didn't mean to suggest the hell you didn't. Who
is this chick?
Speaker 3 (15:49):
Deb Sarah is okay? I know she doesn't look it,
but I promise she's one of us.
Speaker 6 (15:56):
Well, I gotta get back before the manager starts looking
for me.
Speaker 10 (15:59):
How's your knowing it?
Speaker 6 (16:02):
I'm all right, doctor said, I can keep having kids
if I want, hippie, I'll be paying off those bills forever.
But yeah, okay, thank you.
Speaker 3 (16:11):
For talking to us.
Speaker 4 (16:12):
It's useful for the case.
Speaker 6 (16:16):
I'm glad it's useful to somebody.
Speaker 3 (16:27):
What do you think, Sarah, She's good for the brief.
Speaker 9 (16:31):
She's sympathetic, married, she has more kids than she and
her husband can afford. The liberal justices will appreciate that,
and we can play down the first unwed pregnancy she wishes.
Speaker 7 (16:40):
She aboarded, glad she was ethical enough for you.
Speaker 4 (16:44):
I want to win, Deb, same as you.
Speaker 9 (16:46):
With this court, with Burger and Blackman and Stewart, we
need the most squeaky clean cases. We can find girls
who remind the conservative judges of their daughters and sisters.
Speaker 4 (16:55):
Where are we going now?
Speaker 3 (16:57):
Now we go to the hospital with the doctor there,
and she has a patient who may be willing.
Speaker 11 (17:03):
To talk to us.
Speaker 7 (17:05):
But Sarah, you gotta be gentlemen.
Speaker 9 (17:09):
I'm not going to attack some poor girl in the hospital.
Speaker 10 (17:11):
Deb give me some credit, Doctor Dennis, please.
Speaker 11 (17:24):
Don doctor Caplin, Deb, come in, come in. I'm just
finishing up a chart.
Speaker 3 (17:34):
This is the lawyer I told you about, Sarah Weddington.
Speaker 15 (17:38):
Good to meet you, Sarah, you too, Doctor, appreciate your help.
I read the coverage from me one at the court
here in Dallas. You're a hell of a lawyer. We
somehow win this thing in Washington. It will be because of
you that.
Speaker 4 (17:49):
Thank you.
Speaker 9 (17:50):
It's a group effort, though, truth be told, I'll be
taking a lesser role in.
Speaker 11 (17:53):
The case from here and ow.
Speaker 15 (17:54):
You're not abandoning us, are you, Sarah.
Speaker 9 (17:57):
No, it's a case like this is like musical chairs.
It may be my turn to sit a song out,
that's all.
Speaker 11 (18:03):
Uh huh.
Speaker 3 (18:04):
Tell Sarah what you were telling me over the phone.
Speaker 6 (18:06):
Doc.
Speaker 15 (18:08):
There's been a three hundred percent increase in pregnant women
taking for littlemi trying to induce abortion. These women are
giving birth to children with missing arms, missing legs.
Speaker 4 (18:18):
Jesus, that's awful.
Speaker 15 (18:20):
Women are drinking castor oil, just drinking it from a bottle.
At Coca Cola. We've had women come in who inserted
paintbrushes and curtain rods into their uterus and an attempt
to abort ballpoint pens. I had a patient this morning
who was brought in from the bus depot. They found
her passed out and bleeding internally.
Speaker 3 (18:38):
You got someone for us to talk to.
Speaker 9 (18:40):
Doc.
Speaker 11 (18:41):
Come with me, Hi, Grace, how are you holding up today?
Speaker 4 (18:51):
Better?
Speaker 14 (18:51):
I think?
Speaker 4 (18:52):
Thank you? Doctor Richard sent me flowers. See they're lovely.
Speaker 15 (18:57):
These are the two women I mentioned Grace since deb
and this is Sarah, the ones compiling that report for court.
You're still up for talking to them?
Speaker 4 (19:07):
What do you all want to know?
Speaker 11 (19:09):
I'll leave you all to it.
Speaker 4 (19:12):
How about we start with the basics. First name age.
Speaker 1 (19:16):
My name's Grace. I'll be seventeen in October. Who's Richard?
Is that your boyfriend fiance? At least he says he's
gonna marry me. That's how I ended up here. We
didn't think it was so bad to do it since
we were getting married. Anyway, Maybe that's more detail than
you need for your four. My mom's always yelling at
(19:36):
me from being too frank. Anyway, I didn't get my period,
So Richard got a phone number from his buddy who
goes to ut We called and the guy said to
come to this hotel and Winnetka Heights. It's a white neighborhood.
I felt like everyone was looking at us. When we
(19:59):
got to the place, the room that were these four
big white men. They told Richard to wait outside, but
he insisted on staying. I don't think he trusted him.
They certainly scared the hell out of me. Told Richard
if he was gonna stay, he had to wait in
the bathroom. The main one. What I remember most is
(20:23):
how dirty his fingernails were. He put him inside of me.
He said he was.
Speaker 4 (20:32):
Said it was to check how far along I was, but.
Speaker 1 (20:36):
He was grabbing me. It really hurt my breast. You
can still see the bruises. I knew Richard would come
out of the bathroom if I called for him, but
he would have stopped the whole thing, and we had
to get this done. I did scream once when the
man started. It hurt so bad. He said if I
(20:59):
screamed again, he'd have to stop. And I just wanted
the baby out so bad. I would have done anything anything.
I'm sort of glad he didn't give me any anesthesia.
I don't know what else he would have done to
me while I was asleep. Afterwards, he said I had
(21:23):
to get out of there fast.
Speaker 4 (21:24):
I felt like I could barely move. I was cramping
so bad.
Speaker 1 (21:28):
Richard tried to carry me out, but they stopped him,
said it would draw attention out front. Somehow we made
it to the bus stop next day, though I couldn't
even walk.
Speaker 3 (21:40):
Richard brought me here after mine. I slept for eighteen
hours straight.
Speaker 9 (21:46):
Da. I didn't know you.
Speaker 14 (21:49):
I didn't know that.
Speaker 3 (21:50):
I didn't think my story would be helpful for the brief.
But yeah, I was lucky though, cause I was able
to go to England, for it was already legal there.
A friend of mine from college was living in London.
I stayed with her, went to the doctor, went under,
recovered pretty quick all there was to it. Slept like
(22:13):
a dead person at her flat. But the next day
we went for a walk in the park. It's okay
when it's legal, it's safe.
Speaker 11 (22:21):
Grace, Mama, Oh there you are finally. Are you all right?
Oh y'all? Forward is burning up, Grace.
Speaker 4 (22:31):
I'm gonna be fine.
Speaker 1 (22:32):
Mama.
Speaker 11 (22:33):
You disappeared on us.
Speaker 4 (22:35):
It was only supposed to be an afternoon.
Speaker 11 (22:38):
I didn't think, Mama, s s sh It's okay.
Speaker 1 (22:46):
Richard's friend said it was gonna be a real doctor,
or almost it was planning to be a doctor, but
something happened at the end of medical school or something.
Speaker 14 (22:57):
How'd you find me?
Speaker 11 (22:58):
I made Richard tell me where you were. Oh, he
held out best he could. Grace, You've always told me everything, Mama.
Speaker 1 (23:07):
I feel so dirty now. The man touched me, dirty, disgusting.
If that's enough, put it out of your mind. Let
me talk to your doctor.
Speaker 3 (23:20):
Doctor Kaplan is in her office by the nurses station. Ma'am,
thank you.
Speaker 11 (23:26):
I'll be back.
Speaker 4 (23:27):
You ladies get what you needed. You've been really helpful, Grace.
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (23:32):
Doctor said you're going to court. I'm glad there's some
woman doing it. Even the men like Richard to do
the right thing. No man is going to care enough.
It's not their lives on the line, is it. Are
you gonna put the men in jail? Men like my
doctor put me here? No, that's not That would be
(23:54):
a different sort of case. He should be in jail.
Speaker 9 (23:57):
You would have to testify, Grace, go to court.
Speaker 4 (24:00):
Point about I don't even know his name? Well I didn't.
Speaker 1 (24:05):
I just find a way to get on that abortion flight.
Abortion flight, you know, most flights Friday mornings from Dallas
to the El Paso. I heard it's one hundred percent
women they cross over into Mexico to have the procedure there.
Speaker 9 (24:21):
Sarah, you all right, I'm gonna go check on doctor.
Speaker 11 (24:26):
Katherlin, missus Weddington. Are you okay?
Speaker 5 (24:43):
Doc?
Speaker 11 (24:45):
I don't know.
Speaker 9 (24:47):
I'm having trouble breathing.
Speaker 11 (24:50):
Sit down, put your head between your knees.
Speaker 4 (24:53):
Where's Grace's mother?
Speaker 11 (24:55):
She went back to see Grace. Take a deep breath. Sarah, Dan,
sit up, you know right now?
Speaker 3 (25:06):
I just.
Speaker 11 (25:08):
I've heard some stories today, I'll bet.
Speaker 14 (25:12):
How do you do it?
Speaker 1 (25:12):
Doctor?
Speaker 9 (25:14):
How do you hear all these stories day at day out?
Speaker 4 (25:18):
How do you rebate stand it?
Speaker 11 (25:21):
Deb tells me you're quitting the case.
Speaker 9 (25:23):
No, No, Deb is wrong. I'm still part of Row.
I'm just not going to be arguing the case in
the Supreme Court. There are other important jobs to.
Speaker 11 (25:33):
Do, Sarah.
Speaker 15 (25:35):
Do you know how many female doctors I work with
here at Women's Hospital.
Speaker 5 (25:39):
I'm bety.
Speaker 15 (25:40):
I bet I'm the only one medicine pays, and you
know what men will do to keep us out of
anything where money flows and praise and recognition. There were
a few other women in my med school Cluess, but
I don't blame him for taking different paths. It just
bothers me because the men think it proves their point.
(26:05):
There were not cut out for this. Men couldn't handle
a day of what we go through, of what they
put us through. I count myself lucky that I was
able to stick it out some combination of upbringing, talent, ambition.
You might know something about what that's like.
Speaker 4 (26:25):
I haven't quit the case, Doctor Caplin.
Speaker 15 (26:28):
We need to stick it out, Sarah, for no other
reason than to show them we can. No matter how
inhospitable they make the world for us, we have to
be better than all of them, just to get anywhere.
How are you feeling, Sarah, Oh?
Speaker 12 (26:45):
To see Doc?
Speaker 9 (26:46):
I don't know.
Speaker 11 (26:47):
Would you like to meet a few more people.
Speaker 4 (26:52):
I threw myself down the stairs.
Speaker 13 (26:54):
I took a knitting needle, a coat hanger.
Speaker 4 (26:56):
He punched me in the stomach, over and over. I
drank cast or till I couldn't anymore.
Speaker 11 (27:01):
We were just having fun.
Speaker 3 (27:03):
I was raped. He was my father's friend. Here was
my brother's friend.
Speaker 4 (27:07):
He said, no one would believe me. He said if
I told anyone, he'd kill me. He disappeared, He walked away.
Speaker 14 (27:13):
I never saw him again.
Speaker 11 (27:15):
I flew to Puerto Rico.
Speaker 3 (27:16):
I took the bus from our passout. I went alone.
Speaker 14 (27:18):
He took all the money I had and demanded more.
I bled until I passed out.
Speaker 4 (27:23):
I was eighteen, I was I was fifteen.
Speaker 11 (27:26):
It hurts so bad.
Speaker 3 (27:27):
I almost died.
Speaker 4 (27:29):
My friend said my cousin Jenny friend made my mother died.
Speaker 14 (27:32):
I never told anyone.
Speaker 11 (27:39):
So, Sarah, what are you going to do?
Speaker 4 (27:52):
Supreme?
Speaker 1 (27:53):
The Battle for Roh from iHeart Podcasts created and written
by Aaron Tracy, directed by Rachel Winter, starring Maya Hawk,
William H.
Speaker 4 (28:02):
Macy, and Abigail.
Speaker 1 (28:04):
Breslin, also featuring Andrea Savage as deb Lacrisia Brown as Grace,
Kim Yancy Moore as Wanda, Megan Grant as Polly, Jinkolella
as Annette Tearsa Mannis as Doctor Kaplan. Executive produced by
Eva Longoria, Ben Spector, Rachel Winter and Aaron Tracy, as
(28:24):
well as Katrina Norvell and Anna Stump. From iHeart produced
by Kelly and Kelly. Executive producers for Kelly and Kelly
are Chris Kelly, Lauren Berkovich, and Pat Kelly. Produced by
Tamara Black for Kelly and Kelly. Director of Audio Chris Kelly.
Original score by Hamilton Lighthauser and Anna Stump edited in
(28:47):
sound designed by Paul Tatoskini. For a full list of credits,
please see show notes.
Speaker 4 (28:56):
This is a production of Unbelievable Entertainment in partnership with
iHeartRadio
The following episode contains mature themes and imagery. Listener discretion
is advised. From iHeart Podcasts. This is Supreme The Battle
for Row Against to Wait, starring Maya Hawk and William H.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Macy.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
Appreciate whenever you are ready, mister Chief Justice and Maya
pleased the Court.
Speaker 4 (00:36):
Episode five. Good for the brief, Ladies and gentlemen.
Speaker 5 (00:44):
We've now beg on our initial descent and in Dallas.
Speaker 6 (00:47):
We hope you enjoyed your flight.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
Thank you for flying with us today. Need a ride.
Speaker 7 (00:55):
Stranger, Dev?
Speaker 4 (01:02):
What are you doing here?
Speaker 8 (01:03):
Sorry?
Speaker 3 (01:03):
I didn't have time to make one of those signs
with your name on it.
Speaker 7 (01:07):
He told me what flight you were on.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
Thought you could use a lift?
Speaker 7 (01:10):
Really? Yes, really, Sarah? Why is everyone always so surprised
that I'm nice?
Speaker 3 (01:17):
How is the flight?
Speaker 9 (01:19):
I don't have a lot to compare it to, but bumpy,
I do not intend to get back on one of
those things for a long time.
Speaker 7 (01:26):
And how is New York?
Speaker 3 (01:28):
Pete say as good as they say pizza?
Speaker 9 (01:31):
Is that really what you want to know?
Speaker 10 (01:33):
Dev?
Speaker 7 (01:33):
I'm just making conversations, Sarah.
Speaker 4 (01:36):
Just say whatever you came to say, Dev.
Speaker 6 (01:37):
I know you're going to anyway.
Speaker 3 (01:39):
And what do I want to say.
Speaker 9 (01:41):
You'll probably start with it I told you so you
were right not to trust Roy Lucas. Then maybe you'll
want to call me a coward, maybe a quitter, a
trader to the cause, and whatever other insults you can
think of.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
Okay, being surprised I'm nice is one thing, assuming I'm
just waiting to insult you.
Speaker 7 (01:57):
Is actually there.
Speaker 11 (01:58):
Was no decision to make.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
It was made for me.
Speaker 4 (02:00):
I was kicked off the case.
Speaker 9 (02:01):
M keep telling yourself that you never want me on
this case anyway. Deb you judge me from the start.
You didn't think I was radical enough. But let me
guess now that Roy Lucas is taken over, you're just
positive the case needs to be handled by a lady lawyer,
no matter how unradical she is not.
Speaker 3 (02:18):
Just to be clear, I haven't said any of that, Sarah.
You have, but I know you dead. Oh wow, Look
who's judging now? I can see you're mad, Sarah. And
you know what mad I can relate to. Who's ever
fighting for.
Speaker 7 (02:31):
Us has to be mad, big mad, and have skin
in the game. Roy Lucas is a damn good lawyer.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
I believe you, and I'm sure he'd like to win
this thing. It's another notch on his bedpost. But here's
the difference. He'd like to win. We need to win.
Speaker 9 (02:48):
Roy has experienced Deb the case will be safe in
his hands.
Speaker 3 (02:51):
Well, if it wasn't safe in yours, you should have
told us that before. Now you already won in the
lower court, Sarah, I believe in going in with the
hot hand.
Speaker 12 (03:00):
Just past our exit?
Speaker 9 (03:01):
You know, Deb, did you hear me?
Speaker 4 (03:04):
This isn't the way to my house?
Speaker 9 (03:05):
Where are we going?
Speaker 3 (03:07):
Just come with me today?
Speaker 4 (03:09):
Where what's going on?
Speaker 3 (03:10):
A few weeks ago you assigned be me and other
girls from the group to collect stories.
Speaker 11 (03:15):
For the supporting briefs.
Speaker 4 (03:16):
Yeah, has that going?
Speaker 9 (03:17):
We need to submit them to the Supreme Court before argument.
Speaker 3 (03:20):
M Look who's interested?
Speaker 7 (03:22):
So you haven't quit the case?
Speaker 9 (03:24):
No, Deb, I haven't quit the case. Roy's become in
lead counsel. He'll be the one to argue in court.
But I plan on assisting him. However, I can great.
Then come with me, you can assist to collect stories.
Speaker 3 (03:37):
I just cut off the plane.
Speaker 9 (03:38):
I haven't even seen rong yet.
Speaker 7 (03:39):
Sarah. You're acting like you have a choice. I'm driving, Deb.
Speaker 9 (03:44):
Come on, you've been give me crep since day one.
You know, I just did this for the legal experience.
Speaker 7 (03:49):
Time to let the professionals take over.
Speaker 9 (03:51):
You should be doing backflips.
Speaker 8 (03:53):
Uh huh?
Speaker 2 (03:59):
Where are we?
Speaker 10 (04:00):
This is the nicest neighborhood.
Speaker 3 (04:02):
I got those girl's name from someone I spoke to
at the referral service.
Speaker 12 (04:06):
You'll see.
Speaker 13 (04:16):
Hi are you deb?
Speaker 3 (04:18):
I am, and this is Sarah Weddington.
Speaker 13 (04:21):
Nice to meet you both.
Speaker 5 (04:22):
I'm call me Polly. Come on in my mother's outs.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
Your timing is perfect.
Speaker 13 (04:29):
Get you anything. I made some lemonade.
Speaker 4 (04:32):
I'm fine, Thank you.
Speaker 3 (04:33):
Lemonade would be great. Polly. Thanks your friend Annie told
me you might be willing to talk to Sarah and
me about your situation.
Speaker 13 (04:41):
Annie said I could trust you too.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
You can. We're putting together a case for the Supreme Court.
Speaker 13 (04:46):
I know, but I can't testify.
Speaker 9 (04:48):
There are no witnesses in the Supreme Court. Actually, we
send them a long documents story called briefs. The more
pertinent stories we can include about the women of the
law effects the better.
Speaker 3 (04:57):
We just want to hear your story, Polly, or may
take some notes if that's okay.
Speaker 13 (05:02):
Are you an assistant on the case. Missus Whittington.
Speaker 9 (05:08):
Yeah, I guess so. So Polly isn't your real name.
Speaker 13 (05:14):
I take it. Annie said you wouldn't need my name.
Speaker 3 (05:18):
We don't. Polly'll do just fine.
Speaker 5 (05:21):
I'd lose my job. You can't let anyone know I
spoke to you. My daddy's a lawyer.
Speaker 13 (05:26):
If you try to pin this on me.
Speaker 9 (05:28):
No one's trying to pin anything on you, Poullie, not
on anyone. Pseudonyms work for us for the brief. Long
as all the other details are accurate, your real name
will be kept under lock and key.
Speaker 4 (05:38):
I promise.
Speaker 13 (05:40):
I'm sorry to be so.
Speaker 5 (05:43):
It's just the way I've been treated all this time.
Let's just say I don't have any illusions anymore. But
you didn't expect to see a girl like me in
this situation.
Speaker 4 (05:54):
What kind of girl is that, Polly?
Speaker 5 (05:56):
I don't know.
Speaker 13 (05:57):
I was a cheerleader. Daddy's a lawyer.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
All types of girls need abortions. Polly, you got nothing
to be ashamed about.
Speaker 13 (06:05):
See the diaphragm failed. You believe that?
Speaker 5 (06:10):
And I was not gonna keep my professor's baby ruin
my life just because a stupid rubber disc got dislodged.
Speaker 9 (06:19):
How far along were you.
Speaker 5 (06:20):
I'd only missed one period, but enough to start panicking.
I tried to find a doctor, but no one would
even talk to me. So I came up with an idea.
Speaker 13 (06:31):
I figured if I started the job, a doctor would
have no choice.
Speaker 11 (06:35):
But to finish it.
Speaker 5 (06:36):
If you turn up at the hospital and show them
you're bleeding, they have to take care of you.
Speaker 6 (06:40):
That's the law.
Speaker 5 (06:42):
My aunt Irene wasn't as smart as me. I was
not going to be like her. I wasn't gonna rely
on the knitting needle and then just try to tough
it out. That's how you end up did You must
must get a doctor involved to kind of clean it up.
Speaker 13 (06:58):
So I was just gonna get it started. It hurt
so much, I.
Speaker 5 (07:04):
Swear it felt like I was a soldier getting stitched
up on a field with no anesthesia. Just gritted my
teeth and did what it had to be done. I
called the taxi. I told the cab driver not to
take me to the Cavolic hospital, to go to the
one on Wisconsin instead.
Speaker 13 (07:20):
But I'm not great with blood, and there was a
lot of it, big streak of blood on the taxi seat.
Speaker 5 (07:27):
Actually, I was so embarrassed I was back there trying
to wipe it up with my skirt. But I was dizzy.
I was so worried I was going to bleed out.
Right in the back of this man's cab. I almost fainted.
Speaker 13 (07:40):
Luckily the cab driver was a.
Speaker 5 (07:42):
Kind man, tells me to put my head back, talks
to me the whole time, wanted to keep me awake.
Speaker 13 (07:50):
He said he had a daughter my age.
Speaker 5 (07:52):
When we got there, I fell right out of the car,
hit my head on the curb.
Speaker 13 (07:57):
The nurses came running. Remember a lot after that, except.
Speaker 5 (08:05):
Except what one nurse was pretty darn cruel whispered to
one of the others that I was going to hell.
She doesn't need to tell me I'm going to hell.
I'm Catholic, I know that, but that's another day's worry.
Speaker 9 (08:19):
So it's fair to say your faith complicated the decision
about how to handle the unloaded pregnancy.
Speaker 5 (08:25):
No, Missus Weddington, it simplified it. Being Catholic is what
drove me to getting it done. My mother actually said
a few years ago, if you get pregnant, dear, have
it taken care of and don't ever let me know
about it. Mother's desperate for me to marry us in
marry up. She wants me to marry a boy named Perry,
(08:46):
actually Protestant.
Speaker 13 (08:47):
To Perry. She'd die if she knew I.
Speaker 5 (08:50):
Had an abortion, and my Jewish professor's abortion at that.
But she'd extra die if I turned up pregnant, my
big belly window and all her dreams a social climate.
Speaker 13 (09:03):
I'm gonna get some water. Can I get you to
anything more?
Speaker 3 (09:07):
We actually need to go in a minute.
Speaker 5 (09:08):
Polly, I'll just be a sec My throat is suddenly
so dry.
Speaker 3 (09:20):
I can't believe I'm the one saying this. But your
bedside manner could use some work, Sarah, So it's fair
to say your faith complicated your decision about how to
handle your unwanted pregnancy. Come on, she's a scared twenty
year old. Talk to her like a human being.
Speaker 9 (09:36):
We need to think like the non male judges who
will be reading this dep We need to pretend we're
cross examining her if we want these briefs to have
any weight, because you know what the justices will be
thinking that she seduced her professor, got pregnant, could have
kept the baby and raised it with a man with
a stable job, or given it up for adoption. But
mostly what they'll be thinking is there that she should
have kept her legs closed if she didn't want to
(09:56):
get pregnant. Sounds like she had a consensual affair and
then just turn it the human life growing inside her
because her mom would have been embarrassed.
Speaker 13 (10:04):
Wow, I'm not saying that's.
Speaker 9 (10:06):
What I think, Dad, But what I think isn't relevant.
Speaker 3 (10:09):
I went to a Methodist college, just like Polly's not
a lot of clothes legs, Sarah.
Speaker 9 (10:13):
Everybody's doing it isn't a strong legal argument.
Speaker 13 (10:15):
Deb I was just telling you the truth.
Speaker 9 (10:18):
Polly, I know you were. I'm just trying to think
of what will be helpful for the case winning the
justice's sympathy.
Speaker 13 (10:25):
Who would be good sympathy?
Speaker 5 (10:27):
Huh? Maybe you should include the fact that that I
can't have kids anymore at twenty. That's what the doctors
told me. Anyway, I probably won't be able to carry
a pregnancy. At least I won't have to worry about
getting another abortion.
Speaker 3 (10:59):
Proud of yourself, Sarah, I particularly no, when did we
switch places? I thought I was the cynical, sarcastic bitch
and you were the peppy, prom queen.
Speaker 9 (11:08):
What I am is a lawyer, deb not a shorthands stonographer.
We have to think like the opposition here or the
briefs are meaningless. I thought you wanted to win.
Speaker 6 (11:17):
I'm sorry, I'm cranky.
Speaker 4 (11:19):
Can we stop for lunch before the next one?
Speaker 2 (11:21):
I thought you'd never ask.
Speaker 9 (11:36):
I swear, Tob I could eat everything.
Speaker 14 (11:38):
On this menu right now.
Speaker 3 (11:39):
Yeah, I think I've lost my appetite completely.
Speaker 6 (11:44):
Oh ladies, what can I get you?
Speaker 9 (11:46):
Hi?
Speaker 3 (11:46):
Annette?
Speaker 6 (11:47):
Do I know you?
Speaker 3 (11:48):
It's deb Margulis. We've spoken on the phone. This is
Sarah Weddington. When's your next.
Speaker 8 (11:54):
Break, lady lawyer? Huh?
Speaker 6 (12:08):
What a time to be alive.
Speaker 3 (12:09):
Sarah won the case for us in Dallas. She's a
transitioning in a role before the Supreme Court.
Speaker 8 (12:15):
Though.
Speaker 6 (12:16):
Let me guess a man is tagging you out.
Speaker 9 (12:18):
How do you and Debt know each other?
Speaker 6 (12:21):
I'll take that as a yes, we don't know each other. Actually,
we spoke on the phone that preferred me to someone
last time I got pregnant.
Speaker 3 (12:30):
Yeah, that was before we had doctors we could rely
on in that. I still feel guilty.
Speaker 6 (12:35):
Hey, I survived and it worked, right, I got unpregnant.
Speaker 3 (12:38):
You also ended up in a hospital, still worked Annette.
Speaker 9 (12:42):
We're taking stories for our brief If I could start
with some basic infone name, age.
Speaker 6 (12:46):
Occupation Annette waitress. Obviously I'm not going to give you
a last name. Thirty two years old. I know I
look older. I have kids will do that to you.
Speaker 4 (12:57):
When did you last have the procedure?
Speaker 6 (13:00):
Wish I had it thirteen years ago. That's why I'm
in this whole mess. This whole mess being my life.
I had Marissa when I was nineteen. My boyfriend pulled
a disappear and act better than the amazing Randy. My
father leaned on the Porschnook's family as hard as he could,
but no dice. I'm making it to the altar. My
(13:22):
mom was so embarrassed she kept us all inside, including
my brothers and sisters. Couldn't show our faces in the
neighborhood for two months, and they found me a replacement husband, Bill,
he worked with my father at the factory, graciously agreed
to raise my little bastard baby girl. I've had four
more kids since then.
Speaker 9 (13:41):
And does Bill know you terminated the most recent pregnancy.
Speaker 6 (13:45):
You got any idea how diired I am?
Speaker 11 (13:48):
Do you have kids?
Speaker 6 (13:49):
Missus Weddington.
Speaker 4 (13:50):
No, I don't.
Speaker 6 (13:53):
Bill doesn't get along with the oldest Marissa. The others do,
all right, they're little, but him and Marissa. It's bad.
And forget about money. This last time you knocked me up,
i'd just gotten a job at my kid's school. They
fire the pregnant teachers as soon as they find out
school policy. I tried to get the abortion before I
started showing, but the principal's witch of a secretary caught
me vomiting in the bathroom fired me that afternoon.
Speaker 3 (14:15):
Where'd you get this one done? A natte?
Speaker 6 (14:18):
The guy y'all referred me to told me to bring
five hundred bucks and wait outside the Starlight Diner. Where
the hell was I going to get five hundred bucks?
Might as well have been five hundred thousand. You don't
want to know how I got it, but I got
it anyway. I was told to get in a blucid
end that pulled up to the diner at six am.
(14:38):
They blindfolded me. You believe that.
Speaker 3 (14:41):
I'm so sorry.
Speaker 6 (14:44):
I was shaking. I was so scared. I kept thinking
none of my people knew where I was going. What
if I never came back? What would happen to Marissa
and the rest of them. Maybe they'd think I'd just
abandoned them. But when they took off my blindfold, it
looked like a real doctor's office. Clean. They gave me
a shot, said it was antibiotics, no anesthesia, no anesthesia.
Speaker 4 (15:10):
Are you serious?
Speaker 3 (15:11):
Well that's pretty typical, Sarah. She had complications from the anesthesia.
They could get found out too much of her risk.
Speaker 6 (15:19):
Plus they gotta get a cent and out of there quick.
Can't be waiting for us to come too. I have
given birth five times. How a root canal wants electrocute
of myself on the toaster and nothing, Nothing has hurt
me so bad as that can.
Speaker 9 (15:32):
I just asking it. Why didn't you go to another state?
It's legal in California or New York.
Speaker 6 (15:37):
How the hell you think I'm going to afford to
go to California and take days off, lose this job,
and who's going to take care of the kids? Not built?
I didn't mean to suggest the hell you didn't. Who
is this chick?
Speaker 3 (15:49):
Deb Sarah is okay? I know she doesn't look it,
but I promise she's one of us.
Speaker 6 (15:56):
Well, I gotta get back before the manager starts looking
for me.
Speaker 10 (15:59):
How's your knowing it?
Speaker 6 (16:02):
I'm all right, doctor said, I can keep having kids
if I want, hippie, I'll be paying off those bills forever.
But yeah, okay, thank you.
Speaker 3 (16:11):
For talking to us.
Speaker 4 (16:12):
It's useful for the case.
Speaker 6 (16:16):
I'm glad it's useful to somebody.
Speaker 3 (16:27):
What do you think, Sarah, She's good for the brief.
Speaker 9 (16:31):
She's sympathetic, married, she has more kids than she and
her husband can afford. The liberal justices will appreciate that,
and we can play down the first unwed pregnancy she wishes.
Speaker 7 (16:40):
She aboarded, glad she was ethical enough for you.
Speaker 4 (16:44):
I want to win, Deb, same as you.
Speaker 9 (16:46):
With this court, with Burger and Blackman and Stewart, we
need the most squeaky clean cases. We can find girls
who remind the conservative judges of their daughters and sisters.
Speaker 4 (16:55):
Where are we going now?
Speaker 3 (16:57):
Now we go to the hospital with the doctor there,
and she has a patient who may be willing.
Speaker 11 (17:03):
To talk to us.
Speaker 7 (17:05):
But Sarah, you gotta be gentlemen.
Speaker 9 (17:09):
I'm not going to attack some poor girl in the hospital.
Speaker 10 (17:11):
Deb give me some credit, Doctor Dennis, please.
Speaker 11 (17:24):
Don doctor Caplin, Deb, come in, come in. I'm just
finishing up a chart.
Speaker 3 (17:34):
This is the lawyer I told you about, Sarah Weddington.
Speaker 15 (17:38):
Good to meet you, Sarah, you too, Doctor, appreciate your help.
I read the coverage from me one at the court
here in Dallas. You're a hell of a lawyer. We
somehow win this thing in Washington. It will be because of
you that.
Speaker 4 (17:49):
Thank you.
Speaker 9 (17:50):
It's a group effort, though, truth be told, I'll be
taking a lesser role in.
Speaker 11 (17:53):
The case from here and ow.
Speaker 15 (17:54):
You're not abandoning us, are you, Sarah.
Speaker 9 (17:57):
No, it's a case like this is like musical chairs.
It may be my turn to sit a song out,
that's all.
Speaker 11 (18:03):
Uh huh.
Speaker 3 (18:04):
Tell Sarah what you were telling me over the phone.
Speaker 6 (18:06):
Doc.
Speaker 15 (18:08):
There's been a three hundred percent increase in pregnant women
taking for littlemi trying to induce abortion. These women are
giving birth to children with missing arms, missing legs.
Speaker 4 (18:18):
Jesus, that's awful.
Speaker 15 (18:20):
Women are drinking castor oil, just drinking it from a bottle.
At Coca Cola. We've had women come in who inserted
paintbrushes and curtain rods into their uterus and an attempt
to abort ballpoint pens. I had a patient this morning
who was brought in from the bus depot. They found
her passed out and bleeding internally.
Speaker 3 (18:38):
You got someone for us to talk to.
Speaker 9 (18:40):
Doc.
Speaker 11 (18:41):
Come with me, Hi, Grace, how are you holding up today?
Speaker 4 (18:51):
Better?
Speaker 14 (18:51):
I think?
Speaker 4 (18:52):
Thank you? Doctor Richard sent me flowers. See they're lovely.
Speaker 15 (18:57):
These are the two women I mentioned Grace since deb
and this is Sarah, the ones compiling that report for court.
You're still up for talking to them?
Speaker 4 (19:07):
What do you all want to know?
Speaker 11 (19:09):
I'll leave you all to it.
Speaker 4 (19:12):
How about we start with the basics. First name age.
Speaker 1 (19:16):
My name's Grace. I'll be seventeen in October. Who's Richard?
Is that your boyfriend fiance? At least he says he's
gonna marry me. That's how I ended up here. We
didn't think it was so bad to do it since
we were getting married. Anyway, Maybe that's more detail than
you need for your four. My mom's always yelling at
(19:36):
me from being too frank. Anyway, I didn't get my period,
So Richard got a phone number from his buddy who
goes to ut We called and the guy said to
come to this hotel and Winnetka Heights. It's a white neighborhood.
I felt like everyone was looking at us. When we
(19:59):
got to the place, the room that were these four
big white men. They told Richard to wait outside, but
he insisted on staying. I don't think he trusted him.
They certainly scared the hell out of me. Told Richard
if he was gonna stay, he had to wait in
the bathroom. The main one. What I remember most is
(20:23):
how dirty his fingernails were. He put him inside of me.
He said he was.
Speaker 4 (20:32):
Said it was to check how far along I was, but.
Speaker 1 (20:36):
He was grabbing me. It really hurt my breast. You
can still see the bruises. I knew Richard would come
out of the bathroom if I called for him, but
he would have stopped the whole thing, and we had
to get this done. I did scream once when the
man started. It hurt so bad. He said if I
(20:59):
screamed again, he'd have to stop. And I just wanted
the baby out so bad. I would have done anything anything.
I'm sort of glad he didn't give me any anesthesia.
I don't know what else he would have done to
me while I was asleep. Afterwards, he said I had
(21:23):
to get out of there fast.
Speaker 4 (21:24):
I felt like I could barely move. I was cramping
so bad.
Speaker 1 (21:28):
Richard tried to carry me out, but they stopped him,
said it would draw attention out front. Somehow we made
it to the bus stop next day, though I couldn't
even walk.
Speaker 3 (21:40):
Richard brought me here after mine. I slept for eighteen
hours straight.
Speaker 9 (21:46):
Da. I didn't know you.
Speaker 14 (21:49):
I didn't know that.
Speaker 3 (21:50):
I didn't think my story would be helpful for the brief.
But yeah, I was lucky though, cause I was able
to go to England, for it was already legal there.
A friend of mine from college was living in London.
I stayed with her, went to the doctor, went under,
recovered pretty quick all there was to it. Slept like
(22:13):
a dead person at her flat. But the next day
we went for a walk in the park. It's okay
when it's legal, it's safe.
Speaker 11 (22:21):
Grace, Mama, Oh there you are finally. Are you all right?
Oh y'all? Forward is burning up, Grace.
Speaker 4 (22:31):
I'm gonna be fine.
Speaker 1 (22:32):
Mama.
Speaker 11 (22:33):
You disappeared on us.
Speaker 4 (22:35):
It was only supposed to be an afternoon.
Speaker 11 (22:38):
I didn't think, Mama, s s sh It's okay.
Speaker 1 (22:46):
Richard's friend said it was gonna be a real doctor,
or almost it was planning to be a doctor, but
something happened at the end of medical school or something.
Speaker 14 (22:57):
How'd you find me?
Speaker 11 (22:58):
I made Richard tell me where you were. Oh, he
held out best he could. Grace, You've always told me everything, Mama.
Speaker 1 (23:07):
I feel so dirty now. The man touched me, dirty, disgusting.
If that's enough, put it out of your mind. Let
me talk to your doctor.
Speaker 3 (23:20):
Doctor Kaplan is in her office by the nurses station. Ma'am,
thank you.
Speaker 11 (23:26):
I'll be back.
Speaker 4 (23:27):
You ladies get what you needed. You've been really helpful, Grace.
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (23:32):
Doctor said you're going to court. I'm glad there's some
woman doing it. Even the men like Richard to do
the right thing. No man is going to care enough.
It's not their lives on the line, is it. Are
you gonna put the men in jail? Men like my
doctor put me here? No, that's not That would be
(23:54):
a different sort of case. He should be in jail.
Speaker 9 (23:57):
You would have to testify, Grace, go to court.
Speaker 4 (24:00):
Point about I don't even know his name? Well I didn't.
Speaker 1 (24:05):
I just find a way to get on that abortion flight.
Abortion flight, you know, most flights Friday mornings from Dallas
to the El Paso. I heard it's one hundred percent
women they cross over into Mexico to have the procedure there.
Speaker 9 (24:21):
Sarah, you all right, I'm gonna go check on doctor.
Speaker 11 (24:26):
Katherlin, missus Weddington. Are you okay?
Speaker 5 (24:43):
Doc?
Speaker 11 (24:45):
I don't know.
Speaker 9 (24:47):
I'm having trouble breathing.
Speaker 11 (24:50):
Sit down, put your head between your knees.
Speaker 4 (24:53):
Where's Grace's mother?
Speaker 11 (24:55):
She went back to see Grace. Take a deep breath. Sarah, Dan,
sit up, you know right now?
Speaker 3 (25:06):
I just.
Speaker 11 (25:08):
I've heard some stories today, I'll bet.
Speaker 14 (25:12):
How do you do it?
Speaker 1 (25:12):
Doctor?
Speaker 9 (25:14):
How do you hear all these stories day at day out?
Speaker 4 (25:18):
How do you rebate stand it?
Speaker 11 (25:21):
Deb tells me you're quitting the case.
Speaker 9 (25:23):
No, No, Deb is wrong. I'm still part of Row.
I'm just not going to be arguing the case in
the Supreme Court. There are other important jobs to.
Speaker 11 (25:33):
Do, Sarah.
Speaker 15 (25:35):
Do you know how many female doctors I work with
here at Women's Hospital.
Speaker 5 (25:39):
I'm bety.
Speaker 15 (25:40):
I bet I'm the only one medicine pays, and you
know what men will do to keep us out of
anything where money flows and praise and recognition. There were
a few other women in my med school Cluess, but
I don't blame him for taking different paths. It just
bothers me because the men think it proves their point.
(26:05):
There were not cut out for this. Men couldn't handle
a day of what we go through, of what they
put us through. I count myself lucky that I was
able to stick it out some combination of upbringing, talent, ambition.
You might know something about what that's like.
Speaker 4 (26:25):
I haven't quit the case, Doctor Caplin.
Speaker 15 (26:28):
We need to stick it out, Sarah, for no other
reason than to show them we can. No matter how
inhospitable they make the world for us, we have to
be better than all of them, just to get anywhere.
How are you feeling, Sarah, Oh?
Speaker 12 (26:45):
To see Doc?
Speaker 9 (26:46):
I don't know.
Speaker 11 (26:47):
Would you like to meet a few more people.
Speaker 4 (26:52):
I threw myself down the stairs.
Speaker 13 (26:54):
I took a knitting needle, a coat hanger.
Speaker 4 (26:56):
He punched me in the stomach, over and over. I
drank cast or till I couldn't anymore.
Speaker 11 (27:01):
We were just having fun.
Speaker 3 (27:03):
I was raped. He was my father's friend. Here was
my brother's friend.
Speaker 4 (27:07):
He said, no one would believe me. He said if
I told anyone, he'd kill me. He disappeared, He walked away.
Speaker 14 (27:13):
I never saw him again.
Speaker 11 (27:15):
I flew to Puerto Rico.
Speaker 3 (27:16):
I took the bus from our passout. I went alone.
Speaker 14 (27:18):
He took all the money I had and demanded more.
I bled until I passed out.
Speaker 4 (27:23):
I was eighteen, I was I was fifteen.
Speaker 11 (27:26):
It hurts so bad.
Speaker 3 (27:27):
I almost died.
Speaker 4 (27:29):
My friend said my cousin Jenny friend made my mother died.
Speaker 14 (27:32):
I never told anyone.
Speaker 11 (27:39):
So, Sarah, what are you going to do?
Speaker 4 (27:52):
Supreme?
Speaker 1 (27:53):
The Battle for Roh from iHeart Podcasts created and written
by Aaron Tracy, directed by Rachel Winter, starring Maya Hawk,
William H.
Speaker 4 (28:02):
Macy, and Abigail.
Speaker 1 (28:04):
Breslin, also featuring Andrea Savage as deb Lacrisia Brown as Grace,
Kim Yancy Moore as Wanda, Megan Grant as Polly, Jinkolella
as Annette Tearsa Mannis as Doctor Kaplan. Executive produced by
Eva Longoria, Ben Spector, Rachel Winter and Aaron Tracy, as
(28:24):
well as Katrina Norvell and Anna Stump. From iHeart produced
by Kelly and Kelly. Executive producers for Kelly and Kelly
are Chris Kelly, Lauren Berkovich, and Pat Kelly. Produced by
Tamara Black for Kelly and Kelly. Director of Audio Chris Kelly.
Original score by Hamilton Lighthauser and Anna Stump edited in
(28:47):
sound designed by Paul Tatoskini. For a full list of credits,
please see show notes.
Speaker 4 (28:56):
This is a production of Unbelievable Entertainment in partnership with
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