Charisma Magazine

A pastor, who faces prison time for offering sidewalk counseling at an abortion clinic in Oakland, Calif., showed up on the same sidewalk yesterday, praying that women would change their minds.

Feb. 25, 2009 -- A pro-life pastor facing prison time for offering sidewalk counseling at an abortion clinic in Oakland, Calif., returned to the same sidewalk on Tuesday, praying with a handful of others for God to change the hearts and minds of women seeking abortions.

"I am fully aware that this may be my last opportunity to do all I can to save my people," said Walter B. Hoye, a minister from Berkley, Calif., who founded the Issues4Life Foundation.

Hoye was given 30 days in jail, a $1,130 fine and 3 years probation at his sentencing last Thursday, which included a "stay away order" from the abortion clinic he was convicted in January of unlawfully approaching.

Thursday's sentencing of a pro-life pastor facing prison time for offering sidewalk counseling at a California abortion clinic has been pushed back to March 20.

Feb. 20, 2009 -- The case of a pro-life pastor facing prison time for offering sidewalk counseling at an Oakland, Calif., abortion clinic will be "in limbo" until March 20, according to his legal firm.

At his sentencing yesterday, Pastor Walter B. Hoye of Berkley, Calif., was given 30 days in jail, a $1,130 fine and 3 years probation that included a "stay away order" from the clinic at which the pastor was convicted last month of "unlawful approach," under an Oakland city ordinance that bars picketers from coming within eight feet of women entering an abortion clinic.

Because Hoye refused to agree to the stay away order, a legality forced his sentencing to be re-scheduled for March 20.

Pro-life pastor Walter B. Hoye faces up to two years in prison and $4,000 in fines at sentencing today for offering sidewalk counseling outside a California abortion clinic.

Feb. 19, 2009 -- A pro-life leader faces up to two years in prison and as much as $4,000 in fines for offering sidewalk counseling at an Oakland, Calif., abortion clinic.

Pastor Walter B. Hoye, founder of the Issues4Life Foundation, is to be sentenced today after being found guilty on Jan. 15 of "unlawful approach" under an Oakland city ordinance that bars picketers from coming within eight feet of women entering an abortion clinic.

Calling Hoye's conviction a violation of free speech rights, black pro-life leaders traveled from across the country to attend Hoye's sentencing. "Walter, being a pastor, the prophetic voice of God, is bringing attention to this issue," said Stephen Broden, an African-American pastor from Dallas who arrived in Oakland earlier this week. "We who are in the black pro-life movement recognize that if they silence Walter then the potentiality for us being silenced [also exists]."