Federal judge blocks Alabama’s tough abortion law

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) – A federal judge has blocked an Alabama abortion ban that would have made the procedure a felony at any stage of pregnancy in almost all cases.

U.S. District Judge Myron Thompson on Tuesday issued a preliminary injunction blocking Alabama from enforcing the law, which would have called for a sentence of 10 years to life in prison for the abortion provider.

Alabama legislators approved the measure this year, hoping to mount a court challenge to abortion rights. Abortion providers sued to stop the law from going into effect next month.

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