Norma McCorvey, better known as “Jane Roe” of the historic Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion nationwide in the United States, has died due to heart troubles.
McCorvey’s lawsuit, filed in 1970 to win her the right to terminate her pregnancy, ended with a 7-2 Supreme Court decision in 1973 that declared the right to terminate a pregnancy protected under the 14th amendment’s right to privacy.
The decision became a major part of the “culture wars” over sexual morality and reproductive rights that still continue to this day.
Before the Roe v. Wade case, abortions among American women still occurred, with women often traveling to different states or countries to terminate pregnancies. However, the Supreme Court decision mandated that states cannot make laws that outlaw abortion, as it violates the privacy of women.
McCorvey was fairly dishonest in the case, alleging that the pregnancy was a result of a rape, which made her a more sympathetic figure. Years later, she admitted that was not the case.
She later converted to an anti-abortion Christian group and become a pro-life activist.
She passed away this morning at an assisted living facility in Texas.