Eastern Ky. attorney’s tweet goes viral, offering free legal services after SCOTUS abortion ruling

HAZARD, Ky. (WYMT) – Attorney Michelle Lawson said she felt overwhelmed when the Supreme Court overturned Roe vs. Wade on Friday.

“I think my gut has not unclenched since I heard the news Friday,” she said. “I wanted to be able to do something to help people.”

In a viral tweet, receiving more than 12,000 retweets, Lawson said she is offering pro bono services to women in Kentucky if they get an abortion and also to the providers who perform them.

“It ended up exploding into this viral tweet, and through that, I’ve made connections to other attorneys throughout the state who wanted to provide the same services,” she added.

When the Supreme Court overturned Roe vs. Wade, Kentucky’s trigger law banned all abortions unless a pregnancy threatens the life of the mother. Under that law, a woman cannot be prosecuted for getting an abortion but the doctor can.

“I haven’t had any women reach out about prosecution or anything like that, but I have had some survivors of violence reach out for some services,” she said. “I’ve been able to help them so far.”

Kentucky’s trigger law does not have protections for those who are victims of assault, incest or rape.

“I’m a survivor myself,” she added. “So it was very important to me to do something that I felt like I could help other women and anyone else anyone in the LGBTQ plus community.”

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