A judge in Texas has dismissed one of two charges against David Daleiden of the Center for Medical Progress (CMP) related to his indictment over an investigation by a grand jury of a Planned Parenthood clinic in Houston.
Last January, Daleiden was indicted for offering to buy foetal tissue for valuable consideration.
In her decision, Harris County Judge Diane Bull dismissed the case after prosecutors failed to prove that Daleiden committed the act in exchange for a fee.
CMP lauded the dismissal of what it called a "bogus" case against Daleiden.
"Judge Diane Bull's swift dismissal of the bogus charge against CMP founder David Daleiden of trafficking human organs is the latest confirmation that the indictments from a runaway grand jury in Houston were a politically-motivated sham all along," CMP said in a statement.
Daleiden and Sandra Merritt offered Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast money to buy human organs while posing as buyers on behalf of the fictitious company Biomax, according to LifeSiteNews.
CMP said Bull's ruling contradicted the District Attorney's argument that the indictment was valid despite the DA's collusion with Planned Parenthood.
"The dismissal of the first indictment today sends a strong message to Planned Parenthood and their political cronies that colluding to suppress the First Amendment rights of citizen journalists will never work," it said.
Daleiden is still facing the felony charge of tampering with government ID by using a false driver's licence under the name "Robert Sarkis" to enter the PPGC facilities. He and Merritt could face 20 years in prison if convicted.
The CMP maintained that it follows all laws in the course of its investigation. It said that as more details about Planned Parenthood's contracts to sell aborted baby parts surface, "it's clear that Planned Parenthood and their business partners like StemExpress are the ones who are guilty of trafficking in human body parts."
