Norma McCorvey, Plaintiff In Roe v. Wade Abortion Decision, Dies At 69

Norma McCorvey, the plaintiff in the landmark Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade that legalized abortion, has died. She was 69.

Joshua Prager, a journalist working on a book about the case, confirmed her death to the Washington Post, which first reported the news. McCorvey died at an assisted living facility in Katy, Texas.

In the Supreme Court case, she was anonymous, known as "Jane Roe." Her views on abortion changed dramatically over the years. She later became a born-again Christian and was pro-life.

When McCorvey filed the suit she was pregnant for a third time. In her home state of Texas, abortion was not allowed unless the woman's life was threatened. McCorvey did not seek to get a sweeping legal ruling, she simply wanted to terminate her pregnancy. However, she never did have an abortion.

The court ruled 7-2 to legalize abortion, ruling that the constitutional right to privacy included the right to terminate a pregnancy. One of the most significant cases decided by the court in its history, it is celebrated by abortion rights activists and decried by those who are pro-life. The issue of abortion remains a staunchly divisive topic in American politics, and states continue to pass legislation restricting portions of abortion rights.

Image Credit: Beatrice Murch via Flickr Creative Commons

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