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A Texas adoption attorney is accused of a nefarious scheme of trying to purchase babies from pregnant inmates via money placed in commissary accounts. Jody Hall is facing two third degree felony counts of sale or purchase of a child, each of which carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison.
Hall graduated from Texas Tech University School of Law in 1985 and founded Adoptions International, Inc. in 1995. As reported by Law & Crime, Hall messaged an inmate, and placed $846 in her commissary account.
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In the message, Hall introduces herself as the “Director of the Adoption Agency that you have signed with” and asks her to call her. Hall adds that she has “cash for your commissary.” Over the next two months Hall continued to speak with the inmate about the adoption, including asking whether her boyfriend would sign a document relinquishing his parental rights. However the relationship seemed to sour over time.
“I don’t need birth moms that lie to me just to get financial support,” Hall allegedly wrote. “And I can’t give you anymore if he’s not willing to sign the paperwork. That means he wants the baby if he’s the father.”
But that relationship quickly turned south.
“You are a scammer and I will be telling the prosecutor in your case all about how this family supported you since November and you scammed them WITH THE HELP OF YOUR BOYFRIEND,” Hall allegedly wrote. “He’s got pictures all over FB of him holding the baby. You are such a liar!!!”
The arrest records also indicate Hall approached another inmate for her baby.
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“I’ve helped a lot of girls like yourself,” Hall allegedly wrote. “We have families who cannot have children that would love to adopt your child. It will be an open adoption where you will get pictures and learn how the child is doing as they grow up. If you have family members that can take the child, that is great. Or if you will be out of jail by the time the child is born, that is great too. But if you still won’t be in a position to raise a child, or have a friend or family that can take the child, we can help you even when you’re not in jail. You can pick a family and start communicating with them now. We will put $100 weekly on your books and you can spend part of it on your tablet or whatever you wish to buy. What about the birth father of the baby? Is he around?”
That woman was paid $250 and promised an additional $2,500.
Authorities say that the money placed in the inmates’ accounts does not fall within a Texas law that allows prospective adoptive parents to pay for medical and housing expenses since the pregnant women were in jail at the time.
Kathryn Rubino is a Senior Editor at Above the Law, host of The Jabot podcast, and co-host of Thinking Like A Lawyer. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. Feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter @Kathryn1 or Mastodon @[email protected].