Protester Heather Idoni SENTENCED Over Peaceful Pro-Life Protest In Nashville

A 59-year-old grandmother, Heather Idoni, expressed her desire to “hold my new grandson” during her sentencing in federal court in Nashville on Friday. Idoni was sentenced for her involvement in a peaceful pro-life protest at a Tennessee abortion clinic in March 2021.

Idoni received an eight-month prison sentence for violating the FACE Act and conspiracy against rights. The presiding judge, Aleta Trauger, ruled that Idoni’s sentence will run concurrently with the two-year sentence she is already serving for a similar conviction in Washington, D.C. With roughly one year remaining on her D.C. sentence, Idoni is unlikely to serve additional time beyond that. She was also ordered to three years of supervised release and one year of probation.

The Justice Department, under the Biden administration, had initially sought to add the eight months to the end of her D.C. sentence, which would have kept her incarcerated for 32 months. However, Judge Trauger denied that request, allowing the sentences to run simultaneously.

Idoni was convicted in January for her participation in a sit-in protest at the Carafem Health Center in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee. During the protest, she and others sang, prayed, and encouraged women not to undergo abortions.

One of the charges against Idoni, conspiracy against rights, originated from a Reconstruction-era law aimed at combatting the Ku Klux Klan and carries a potential sentence of more than ten years. Recently, the Biden administration has applied this statute to prosecute pro-life activists nationwide.

Wearing a green jumpsuit and shackles, Idoni spoke about her Christian faith and the challenges she has faced in federal custody. She began her statement by reading from Proverbs 24:10-12, a passage emphasizing the importance of rescuing “those being led away to death” and holding “back those staggering toward slaughter.”

Idoni also described instances of mistreatment by federal marshals, recounting how chains had been fastened so tightly around her waist that she had difficulty breathing. One marshal even threatened to tighten the chains further if she complained.

Since entering custody in August 2023, Idoni has faced health complications, including the need for three stents in her heart. She has been transferred to at least eight different prisons across the country, which has further complicated her medical care.

“I would love to be home with my family,” Idoni said. “I would love to hold my new grandson.”

Wilfred Beaye, a lawyer for the Department of Justice, argued that Idoni’s sentence should be served consecutively to her D.C. conviction due to her “history of disrespecting the law,” and noted that the eight-month sentence was on the lower end of what federal guidelines would typically recommend.

Meanwhile, Idoni’s attorney, William Conway, requested time served and three years of supervised release, pointing to her history of charitable work, including missions in Ukraine and the adoption of children. Judge Trauger acknowledged these mitigating factors, as well as Idoni’s difficult childhood and ongoing health struggles. However, the judge also noted that Idoni’s “blindspot” for her beliefs had caused emotional harm to others.

Following her sentencing, supporters gathered outside the courthouse, waving signs and cheering as she was driven away to a federal prison in Kentucky, where she is currently being held. A few held up “happy birthday” signs in celebration of Idoni’s upcoming 60th birthday on Saturday.