Police raided an Orlando abortion clinic Thursday as part of a $36 million lawsuit.
The doctor who helps run the center, however, called the raid unconstitutional.
As the day wore on there were multiple moving trucks at the Orlando Women’s Center on Lake Lucerne taking virtually everything inside.
“What they’ve done is unconstitutional," Dr. James Pendergraft said. "They’ve shut down a facility that is constitutionally protected.
Dr. James Pendergraft helps run the Orlando Women's Center and an office in Ocala. As of April 19, 2013, his license was suspended.
The raid was authorized as the result of a lawsuit against the center several years ago. That's when a woman who came in for an abortion ended up leaving the center, calling 911 and delivering a premature baby at the hospital.
Pendergraft wouldn’t go into detail about what happened, but attorneys for the woman said the child suffered a brain injury resulting in cerebral palsy, blindness and severe mental and physical disabilities. A jury found the doctor and woman’s center negligent, and awarded the family more than $36 million in damages.
Pendergraft said he was not the attending physician.
Pendergraft said he’s only paid out about $100,000, so they started seizing his assets -- including furniture and equipment. Patient records were left behind. The thing is he said those assets aren’t his, they're rented.
One man who said he’s been protesting at the clinic for most of the past decade since the incident says he sees no problem if the clinic is temporarily out of business.
“I’m ecstatic with what’s happening here today,” said protester John Barros.
Pendergraft said he’s exploring legal options to get his equipment back.
“I’m not asking anyone to feel sorry for me," he said. "What I’m saying is what they are doing is unlawful and that’s the bottom line here.”
Attorneys for the woman wouldn’t speak on camera, but said the raid was authorized by the courts as part of fulfilling the settlement.