A civil lawsuit against Starr County officials will move forward, a federal judge ruled on Wednesday.

U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton denied a request to dismiss a federal lawsuit against the county, Starr County District Attorney Gocha Allen Ramirez, Starr County Assistant District Attorney Alexandria Lynn Barrera and Starr County Sheriff Rene Fuentes. 

PREVIOUS STORY: ACLU representing Starr County woman arrested over 2022 abortion

The lawsuit is seeking $1 million in damages after a Starr County woman was arrested and charged with murder in 2022 following a “self-induced abortion.”

Lizelle Gonzalez was arrested on April 8, 2022, and jailed for three days on a murder charge following the abortion. She was released from custody when the murder charge was dismissed.

Gonzalez filed the lawsuit in March.

Texas law prevents murder charges from being brought up against the individual who undergoes an abortion. The lawsuit accuses Ramirez and Barrera of misleading grand jurors to formally charge Gonzalez with murder.

Gonzalez’s legal team say the prosecutors and law enforcement officers involved in the arrest must be held accountable.

“Texas homicide statute explicitly does not apply to pregnant women who terminate their own pregnancy, it's clear as day,” attorney David Donatti said.

RELATED STORY: Starr County DA fined over 2022 indictment against woman charged with murder for 'self-induced abortion'

Previously, Gocha was fined and had his law license held in probated suspension over the original indictment.