The final criminal case against the Catholic pro-life investigator David Daleiden has been dismissed. This ends a nearly decade-long legal battle stemming from his undercover investigation into the abortion industry.
Daleiden released in 2015 a series of undercover videos showing that officials connected to Planned Parenthood Federation of America sold body parts and fetal tissue of aborted babies.
In 2016, the office of then–California Attorney General Kamala Harris (2011-2017) prosecuted Daleiden and his colleague Sandra Merritt related to illegal recording (invasion of privacy).
She did not prosecute Planned Parenthood.
Over time, more than half of the charges were dismissed by a judge.
Instead of going to trial on the remaining charges, David Daleiden agreed in 2025 to the deal “no contest” (nolo contendere) . It allows a defendant to resolve a criminal case without admitting guilt while accepting the court’s judgment. The agreement included no jail time, fines, or probation, effectively resolving the case without penalties.
The deal resulted in a temporary conviction that was later withdrawn, dismissed and expunged.
In April 2026, the final charge was formally dismissed and expunged, fulfilling the terms of the settlement and closing the case.
Defense attorney Steve Cooley, former Los Angeles County District Attorney, sharply criticized the long-running effort:
“In my 5 decades as an attorney, 40 years of which were as a prosecutor, I have never seen such a blatant exercise of selective investigation and vindictive prosecution.”
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