Sarah Weddington, attorney who secured abortion rights in Roe v. Wade, dies at 76 in Austin [View all]

Source: Austin American Statesman

Sarah Weddington, who successfully argued against Texas anti-abortion statutes before the U.S. Supreme Court in the 1973 landmark case Roe v. Wade, died in Austin at age 76 on Sunday morning, according to multiple reports.

Susan Hays, a student of Weddington's and Democratic candidate for Texas Agriculture Commissioner, said on Twitter that Weddington died after "a series of health issues."

"She was my professor at UT, the best writing instructor I ever had, and a great mentor," Hays wrote.

Weddington's death comes as the precedent set by the Roe v. Wade decision is being tested by new lawsuits and laws, including Texas' Senate Bill 8, which bans most abortions in the state because of its six-week gestation limit. Earlier this month, the Supreme Court justices allowed abortion providers to sue some state leaders to block the ban, but let the law remain in effect.

Read more: https://www.yahoo.com/news/sarah-weddington-attorney-secured-abortion-003357949.html