Government Folds: Charges Dropped for Pro-Lifer Unconstitutionally Charged for Free Speech Defending Life

On Friday, in a packed courtroom filled with family, supporters, and fellow pro-life sidewalk counselors, justice prevailed.

Zachary Knotts – joined by his wife, Lindsay – stood ready to defend himself against what had clearly become a politically motivated prosecution. After months of preparation and with unwavering resolve, the Knotts and their ACLJ legal team were fully prepared to face and defeat the charges stemming from a peaceful pro-life protest outside an abortion clinic in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio.

Instead, the government blinked.

As the trial began, prosecutors abruptly tried to change their theory of the case – an 11th-hour maneuver that amounted to rewriting the charges on the spot. We immediately objected to the bait-and-switch. The prosecution then tried to have the trial rescheduled for a later date. We held firm. Enough was enough. Zack had waited too long to have his day in court, and we weren’t going to allow the government to continue delaying this matter, which amounted to little more than a trumped-up noise ordinance violation. Our client had a right to a speedy trial to clear his name, and justice couldn’t wait another day.

In the end, with a packed courtroom watching, the prosecution folded. They dismissed the charges entirely. But let’s be clear: This prosecution should never have been brought in the first place.

A Pattern of Harassment and Weaponized Law Enforcement

The facts are straightforward. On the morning of December 28, 2024, Zack and Lindsay Knotts stood peacefully on a public sidewalk outside the Northeast Ohio Women’s Center (NEOWC) abortion clinic to express their constitutionally protected, pro-life views. Like many sidewalk counselors across the country, they brought a megaphone, which the Supreme Court has called “indispensable instruments of effective political speech” in the modern era. The Knotts began peacefully speaking out against abortion and advocating for the lives of preborn children.

They were met by abortion clinic escorts using umbrellas, whistles, and kazoos to harass and drown out their message. These same escorts escalated their behavior, yelling threats like “Kiss a shotgun” and worse. After learning that Lindsay’s life was saved after her mother had considered an abortion, and she “should be dead,” an abortion escort snapped back: “We can fix that.”

Despite the vile and dangerous threats directed at the Knotts, the loud instruments, and the shouting, it was the Knotts who were targeted by the authorities. The Cuyahoga Falls Police Department, which had been present and witnessed much of the interaction, later responded to a supposed complaint – after Zack’s megaphone had already run out of batteries. Officers took a statement from only one person: a fellow CFPD officer moonlighting as private security for the abortion clinic. They ignored other witnesses, disregarded the Knotts’ video evidence, and failed to corroborate any claim against Zack.

Even more troubling, Sgt. Dobney – the lead officer – admitted he never personally witnessed Zack use the megaphone and that he’d relied on alleged “recordings” never shown to Zack or his counsel. That’s not right; government officials are prohibited from retaliation because of the exercise of protected speech. The facts made it clear: That’s exactly what happened.

Zack and Lindsay never left the public sidewalk. They never blocked access to the abortion clinic. They never threatened anyone. The same cannot be said for those who tried to silence them. What happened here wasn’t just a mistake – it was a warning shot to pro-lifers everywhere: Speak out, and we’ll come for you. But today’s dismissal shows what can happen when you refuse to back down.

This Isn’t Over: What You Can Do Now

We’re grateful that this bogus prosecution is finally behind the Knotts family. But the injustice they endured – months of uncertainty, possible fines, and stress for simply exercising their First Amendment rights – demands accountability.

We’re currently evaluating all available legal remedies, including filing a federal civil rights lawsuit. What happened to the Knotts wasn’t right, and that’s why we’re asking for your support to continue this battle in the federal courts. Government officials and law enforcement must be held accountable when they abuse their authority to punish protected speech.

The ACLJ will never stop fighting for the rights of pro-life Americans to speak the truth about abortion and defend the unborn – on sidewalks, in courts, and across the country.