Jo Scott, abortion protester, hit with federal charges after allegedly shoving man at clinic

In April, Jo Scott -- one of the central figures in our 2008 feature "Planned Parenthood's Scheme to Bust Abortion Protesters" -- was convicted of violating the state's bubble law, which bans anti-abortion picketers from coming within eight feet of anyone in a hundred-foot radius of a clinic without permission...

By Michael Roberts

June 2, 2011

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In April, Jo Scott -- one of the central figures in our 2008 feature "Planned Parenthood's Scheme to Bust Abortion Protesters" -- was convicted of violating the state's bubble law, which bans anti-abortion picketers from coming within eight feet of anyone in a hundred-foot radius of a clinic without permission.

Now, Scott and her husband, Kenneth, are in more trouble -- this time from the feds.

The Justice Department has filed a civil complaint in U.S. District Court against both Scotts for violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, also known as the FACE Act. And the complaint, accessible at this link and on view below, supports its allegations with a slew of incidents from August 2009 to the present at Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains (PPRM) in Denver.

On numerous occasions, Kenneth is said to have walked or stood in the facility's driveway to either prevent clients from coming or going without confronting him. And that's not to mention verbal abuse aimed at PPRM staffers -- terms of endearment cited include "murderer" and "baby killer."

The list of Jo Scott-related incidents is similar -- but one on June 9, 2010 stands out because of the implication that even Kenneth felt she'd gone too far. The document says a person who had accompanied a client to PPRM was standing on the sidewalk, smoking a cigarette, when the Scotts began screaming that God hated him, among other pleasantries. The guy tried to away, but Jo allegedly poked him in the back, and when he turned around, she pushed him in the chest. At that point, Kenneth physically restrained Jo, but she tried to wrestle free and go after the man again.

Compensatory relief requested includes numerous fines of up to $15,000 each. Not that such punishment is likely to stop the Scotts. See the entire complaint below.

Jo and Kenneth Scott: FACE Act Violation Complaint

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Michael Roberts began his career with Westword in 1990 as music editor. In 1999, he took on a new role, full-time media reporter, as author of a column called The Message. In 2008, he became the lead writer for Westword's news blog, The Latest Word, a position he held until January 2023. Michael continues to freelance for Westword, covering everything from business to sports and the media; he also contributes to Jazziz, a national music magazine. He holds a bachelor's degree from what is now Colorado Mesa University and master's degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles, and Northwestern University.

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