Planned Parenthood video anti-abortion activists cleared by Texas court

A Texas court dismissed charges against the two anti-abortion activists who made undercover videos that exposed Planned Parenthood making sales from aborted fetal body parts.

District Judge Brock Thomas dropped the charges against David Daleiden and Sandra Merritt after ruling that the court could not proceed with the case under the Texas law.

"Texas law limits what can be investigated after a grand jury extension order is issued," said Harris District Attorney Devon Anderson in a statement. "In light of this and after careful research and review, this office dismissed the indictment."

Daleiden, founder of the pro-life group Center for Medical Progress in Irvine, California that released the undercover videos, praised the ruling as a victory of the First Amendment rights for journalists and shifted the focus back on the alleged crime of Planned Parenthood.

"And I would just note that Planned Parenthood is still under investigation by the United States Congress, as they should be, because they are the real criminals in this matter," said the 27-year-old pro-life activist after the ruling.

Daleiden and 63-year-old Merritt, who worked for Center for Medical Progress, turned themselves in back in February and posted bail after the grand jury decided in favor of Planned Parenthood and charged the duo of felony for using fake identification to gain access to the facility.

The videos that circulated last year revealed officials at the facility selling and negotiating prices of the aborted fetal body parts.

Cecile Richards, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood, responded by calling Daleiden and Merritt as "extremists" and the videos as among the "hoax videos" they've been contending with for the past 15 years.

Richards argued that selling the fetal body parts contributed to the scientific research and that the organization did not profit from the transaction.

"Look, fetal-tissue research led to the polio vaccine," said Richards in an interview with Katie Couric. "It's now being used in research on Parkinson's, on Alzheimer's, on almost every major disease that we're dealing with in America."