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The lawyer who successfully argued Roe v. Wade has died at 76

A MARTÍNEZ, HOST:

Sarah Weddington has died. Her career as a lawyer included one of the most famous court cases of the past half-century. Weddington was 26, fresh out of law school, when she helped to represent a woman known as Jane Roe.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

That was the pseudonym for Norma McCorvey, who asserted her right to an abortion in Roe v. Wade. Weddington recalls the heart of the Supreme Court ruling in 1973.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

SARAH WEDDINGTON: It was basically that there was a right of privacy that made it possible for women to make the decision about whether to continue or terminate a pregnancy.

MARTÍNEZ: Weddington died yesterday at her home in Texas at 76. The news arrives as the Supreme Court considers a challenge to that famous ruling.

INSKEEP: Few years ago, Weddington told NPR that a conservative majority of justices on the high court could arrive at a new conclusion, and she speculated on what the justices might say.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED NPR BROADCAST)

WEDDINGTON: The language is not in the Constitution, and so it doesn't really exist. It was made up by the justices at the time. There's also a possibility they would say, well, it still allows the states to legislate in whatever way they want to.

MARTÍNEZ: And Weddington said if that precedent is reversed, the implications are wider.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED NPR BROADCAST)

WEDDINGTON: Privacy is not meant to be a one-state deal. It's meant to be the basis for people living in all the United States.

MARTÍNEZ: Weddington's last public stand for abortion rights was two years ago.

INSKEEP: She attended the signing ceremony for a New York law that is designed to safeguard abortion rights if Roe v. Wade is overturned.

(SOUNDBITE OF RE:PLUS' "MOONSCAPE") Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

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SOMOS CONNECTICUT is an initiative from Connecticut Public, the state’s local NPR and PBS station, to elevate Latino stories and expand programming that uplifts and informs our Latino communities. Visit CTPublic.org/latino for more stories and resources. For updates, sign up for the SOMOS CONNECTICUT newsletter at ctpublic.org/newsletters.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.