Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced Wednesday that Bevelyn Beatty Williams was sentenced to 41 months in prison for violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act in June 2020 in connection with her interference, including by threats and force, with individuals seeking to obtain and provide lawful reproductive health services at a reproductive health centre in Manhattan.
On February 22, 2024, Williams was convicted after a nine-day jury trial of one count of violating the FACE Act before U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Rochon, who imposed Wednesday’s sentence.
On June 19, 2020, and June 20, 2020, WILLIAMS threatened and used force against patients and staff members at a reproductive health center located in lower Manhattan (the “Health Center”) and blocked patients and staff members from accessing the Health Center.
In one instance, and as captured on video, Wiliams pressed her body against the door of the health centre’s patient entrance and refused to move, preventing a health centre volunteer from entering the health centre.
As a health centre staff member attempted to open the door for the volunteer, Wiliams purposefully leaned against the door, crushing Victim-1’s hand. Victim-1 yelled, “She’s crushing my hand,” but Wiliams remained against the door, trapping Victim-1’s hand and injuring it.
At various times on June 19 and 20, 2020, Wiliams stood directly in front of the health centre entrances. Wiliams initially blocked the main entrance used by patients, causing the Health Center to have to divert patients to enter through the staff entrance. Wiliams responded by moving to block the staff entrance and directing others to do the same.
Wiliams livestreamed some of her conduct on June 19 and 20, 2020, on a social media account. On the livestream on June 19, 2020, Wiliams stood within inches of the health centre’s chief administrative officer and threatened to “terrorise this place” and warned that “we’re gonna terrorize you so good, your business is gonna be over mama.”
Similarly, Wiliams stood within inches of a health centre security officer and threatened “war.” Wiliams also stated that she would act by “any means necessary.”
In addition to Wiliams’ conduct in Manhattan, on multiple other occasions from at least 2019 to 2022, Wiliams and others intimidated and interfered with individuals seeking to obtain or provide reproductive health services at other health clinics across the country, including in Florida, Tennessee, Georgia, and Brooklyn, New York.
For example, in January 2022, Wiliams travelled to a health centre in Fort Myers, Florida, where she directed other individuals to block health centre entrances. As a result of the blockade, medical staff was delayed in treating at least a dozen patients, three of whom were scheduled for time-sensitive procedures that could have resulted in bleeding, infection, or significant pain without timely treatment.
In addition, in July 2022, Wiliams invaded a health centre in Atlanta, Georgia, where she screamed through the door at patients attempting to enter the facility until they were forced to leave. Among other things, Wiliams shouted that she’d go to jail before letting patients enter the facility for an abortion and that she was “not afraid to get arrested.”
In addition to the prison term, Wiliams, 33, of Ooltewah, Tennessee, was sentenced to two years of supervised release.