[JURIST] US Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas [official profile, PDF] issued a temporary stay late Friday blocking a lower federal court order allowing prison officials in Missouri to transport a pregnant inmate to a medical facility for an abortion. A Missouri law [text] prohibits the use of public funds "for the purpose of performing or assisting an abortion not necessary to save the life of the mother." The prisoner, represented by attorneys from the ACLU [advocacy website], has secured funds to pay for the procedure, but does not have money to pay for transport from the prison to the medical facitlity, an additional $350. The stay will remain in effect until the high court issues an opinion, but attorneys for the inmate argue that time is running out, Missouri law bars abortions after 22 weeks unless there is a threat to the mother's life, and the inmate is 17 weeks pregnant. AP has more.