| Jolene Griffith, Illegal Abortion Death | |
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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. Henire was conviced, and served 25 months of a 4-year sentence. Upon his release, he went right back to doing abortions. Jolene's abortion was typical of illegal abortions in that it was performed by a doctor. In the 1960s, we see the 20th Century downward trend in abortion mortality resumed -- until a brief upturn starting in 1968, when some states first started loosening their abortion laws. For more, see Abortion Deaths in the 1960's. For more on pre-legalization abortion, see The Bad Old Days of Abortion
Source: 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; “Grove Osteopath Arrested”, The Oklahoman, November 17, 1970; “Abortion Murder Charged”, The Oklahoman, April 12, 1962; Abortion Charge Hits Grove Man”, The Oklahoman, October 20, 1961; “Abortion Count Filed”, The Oklahoman, March 9, 1961
