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Philadelphia Abortion Doctor Found Guilty Of First-Degree Murder
By
Jen Chung
Published May 13, 2013
Modified May 13, 2013
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By
Jen Chung
Published May 13, 2013
Modified May 13, 2013
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The former Philadelphia doctor who performed late-term abortions has been found guilty of three counts of first-degree murder. Kermit Gosnell, who turned in his medical license, had been charged with four counts for the deaths of babies who prosecutors say were "born alive and viable during the sixth, seventh and eighth months of pregnancy."
The prosecution also alleged that Gosnell would deliver the newborns and then snipe their spinal cords with scissors (read the grand jury report PDF if you can bear to) and that his medical practice was a "filthy fraud in which he overdosed his patients with dangerous drugs, spread venereal disease among them with infected instruments, perforated their wombs and bowels—and, on at least two occasions, caused their deaths." One of Gosnell's employees testified that the abortions were at 24.5 weeks of pregnancy; 24 weeks is the cutoff in Pennsylvania, unless the mother's health puts her at risk.
Gosnell's attorney Jack McMahon had argued that the babies were dead when they were delivered and also succeeded in having three of the murder counts thrown out. McMahon has also accused Philadelphia prosecutors of "an elitist, racist prosecution" and a "a prosecutorial lynching." (The case has also been used as Republicans' "evidence" than the liberal media doesn't want to cover an abortion murder story.)
The Philadelphia Inquirer reports, "The Common Pleas Court jury of seven women and five men immediately began preparing for a 'penalty-phase hearing' where they will hear evidence from prosecution and defense before deciding if Gosnell, 72, should live or die. The Common Pleas Court jury of seven women and five men also found the 72-year-old West Philadelphia doctor guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the 2009 death of a 41-year-old abortion patient, Karnamaya Mongar, who the jury determined was overdosed on Demerol by Gosnell's untrained staff."
Eight of his staff have pleaded guilty to charges.
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abortion
kermit gosnell
late term abortion
murder
philadelphia
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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