Pro-life protester sentenced to years in prison says she is ‘still trying to register’ Trump’s pardon
2025-02-03
Category: political

A pro-life protester who was sentenced to over three years in prison told Fox News Digital she is still processing President Donald Trump’s pardon.&nbsp; "To be pardoned by the President of the United States is something that I'm still trying to register," Bevelyn Beatty Williams told Fox News Digital. "I don't think I can fathom in my mind how big this is because I don't see myself as… the celebrity that people like to call me. I'm just like regular, old Bevelyn." On Friday, Trump pardoned 23 pro-life prisoners who were convicted by President Joe Biden’s administration of violating the FACE Act, a federal law which bans the use of force on those accessing abortion clinics and other reproductive healthcare facilities.&nbsp; PRO-LIFE PROTESTERS PARDONED BY TRUMP, FOX CONFIRMS&nbsp;  Trump told the media Friday that "We released 23 people that were unjustly put in and having to do with pro-life. And, they will be released, and they'll be out very shortly. It was disgraceful what happened." In&nbsp;June 2020, Williams organized a protest outside a Planned Parenthood in Manhattan, and allegedly pushed the door closed on the hand of a worker opening the door for a volunteer, injuring the worker’s hand.&nbsp; A press release from the United States Attorney’s office of the Southern District of New York reads that, "On June 19, 2020, and June 20, 2020, WILLIAMS threatened and used force against patients and staff members at a reproductive health center located in Lower Manhattan (the "Health Center") and blocked patients and staff members from accessing the Health Center." The press release describes one occasion where she "pressed her body against the door of the Health Center’s patient entrance and refused to move, preventing a Health Center volunteer from entering the Health Center.&nbsp;As a Health Center staff member ("Victim-1") attempted to open the door for the volunteer, WILLIAMS purposefully leaned against the door, crushing Victim-1’s hand." On July 24, 2024, Williams&nbsp;was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Rochon to 41 months in prison, who said that Williams "repeatedly intimidated and interfered with individuals seeking and providing critical reproductive health services.&nbsp;She did so by physically blocking access to clinics, threatening staff, and by force." "I was indicted and sentenced to three and a half years in prison for ministering in front of an abortion clinic and practicing my First Amendment right," Williams told Fox News Digital. "And they accused me of being loud and threatening and obstructing and violent, all things that were not true. And they sent it to me in federal prison for three and a half years." Williams, 33, president and co-founder of At the Well Ministries, said her views on abortion changed when former&nbsp;New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed a bill into law in 2019 that legalized abortion up to birth in most cases. NEW YORK ‘CELEBRATES’ LEGALIZING ABORTION UNTIL BIRTH AS CATHOLIC BISHOPS QUESTION CUOMO’S FAITH&nbsp;  "I've had three abortions in my past, and so I did not start off pro-life," Williams said. "I think what ignited my fight for life was when Gov. Cuomo legalized abortion up to nine months… Once I became a Christian, I realized that abortion was wrong, and I always knew it was wrong. I never in my mind thought, okay, abortion is healthcare… But at the same time, when Gov. Cuomo legalized abortion up 'til nine months, it hit me that this is really murder and these poor, innocent babies are being tortured for convenience." She said that her sentencing was especially hard on her husband.&nbsp; "My husband was devastated," Williams said. "My husband cried and cried that night after the sentencing. And it was just every day was like a clock counting down until the day I had to turn myself in. My daughter, who's two, was not aware of what was going on. But she did feel my absence. And my husband, he says now he can tell the difference in her joy and happiness, seeing that mommy's home."&nbsp;  She said that she does not know what is next, but wants to foster communication and dialogue.&nbsp; "For me, this is not the time to settle. I feel like the fight is still on now," Williams said.&nbsp; CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP&nbsp;&nbsp; "Am I going to continue to protest," she added. "I feel like… my demeanor was met for the proper season. And I understand when to shift. You know, when I was protesting and preaching against certain things, there was Covid going on, rights were being taken away. You had BLM militias and Antifa running amok in the streets and destroying cities. You know, there was a reason for me to raise my voice the way that I did at that time. I feel like in this season, people are a lot more reasonable. And I think this is a time to start having conversations that may have been tough as they have in the past."