Abortionist Kermit Gosnell to spend life in prison

Earlier today, abortionist Kermit Gosnell agreed to give up his ability to appeal his murder convictions in exchange for prosecutors taking the death penalty off the table.  Gosnell will spend the rest of his life in prison for killing three children who survived abortion attempts. 

Prosecutors agreed to two life sentences without parole for two of the three first-degree murder convictions, and Gosnell was to be sentenced Wednesday in the death of the third baby, an involuntary manslaughter conviction in the death of a patient and hundreds of lesser counts.

Prosecutors had sought the death penalty because Gosnell killed more than one person, and his victims were especially vulnerable given their age. But Gosnell's own advanced age had made it unlikely he would ever be executed before his appeals ran out.

FULL STORY

Kermit Gosnell, the face of the abortion movement

Philadelphia Daily News columnist Christine M. Flowers reflects on the impact of the Gosnell trial. 

Gosnell is the face of the movement, or at least the face of what it can become when we look away.

When Harry Blackmun divided life into tidy trimesters and placed relatively little value on the first two, we took that first step into the moral abyss.

Gosnell is just the natural evolution of what started in 1973.

FULL EDITORIAL

Gosnell also found guilty of illegal late-term abortions, other crimes

In addition to being found guilty of killing three babies who survived abortion attempts and killing a women during a botched abortion, abortionist Kermit Gosnell was also found guilty of performing 21 illegal late-term abortions.

Gosnell was also found guilty of several other crimes including one count of infanticide, two counts of conspiracy, 21 of 24 counts of abortion of an unborn child of 24 weeks or more and 208 of 227 counts of violation of informed consent of an abortion.....

Gosnell won't be done with court once this trial is adjourned. He still faces federal charges for allegedly running an illegal narcotics operation out of the clinic.

As he was led from the courthouse in shackles and a gray prison outfit, Gosnell smirked to the waiting media, before being loaded by sheriff deputies into a van and returned to jail.

FULL STORY

Abortionist Kermit Gosnell found guilty of killing 3 babies, one woman

According to initial reports from courtroom reporters, abortionist Kermit Gosnell has been found guilty of 1st degree murder of 3 infants who survived abortions at his clinic. He has also reportedly been found guilty of 3rd degree murder for the death of Karnamaya Mongar, a woman who died after having an abortion.

UPDATE: Gosnell was found not guilty of the third degree murder charge but instead was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the death of Karnamaya Mongar.

FULL STORY
 

Record number of Michigan abortion businesses closed

In the last six months, the state of Michigan has seen an unprecedented number of abortion businesses shut their doors.

In January, abortionist Robert Alexander announced he had no plans to re-open his abortion clinic in Muskegon. His clinic was closed in December of 2012 by the fire department after they discovered numerous violations. Muskegon Public Safety Director Jeffrey Lewis called Alexander’s clinic a “filthy mess.” When authorities entered Alexander’s clinic they found deplorable conditions which included blood on the floor and walls, hypodermic needles in unsecured containers, a roof leaking in multiple locations, unsterilized medical equipment and uncovered buckets containing unknown fluids.

February brought the good news that two of Michigan’s more notorious abortionists would retire. Alberto Hodari and Enrique Gerbi allowed their medical and pharmacy licenses to expire at the end of January. In the late 1980's, Hodari owned more than 10 abortion clinics in Michigan. Over the years, at least three women who received abortions from Hodari have died and he had been sued for medical malpractice several times. While Hodari has sold the some of his remaining clinics to other abortionists, his clinic in Livonia remains closed.  

In March, the prolife movement learned that two abortion clinics on the southeast side of state would no longer be in operation after their owner, abortionist Reginald Sharpe, filed for bankruptcy. Sharpe filed for bankruptcy after being sued by two former patients he injured and the family of a woman who died after Sharpe performed an abortion on her. Some of Sharpe's other misdeeds including the dumping of fetal remains and patient records, negligent post‑operative practices, failure to report abortion complications and license suspensions.

In April, prolife people in Dearborn and around the state celebrated as the American Family Planning abortion clinic in Dearborn closed and its owner, 73-year-old abortionist Joon‑Nahm Ann retired. And most recently in May, the Birth Control Center in Sterling Heights announced that after 39 years it is now closed. At one time, there were 72 abortion clinics in Michigan, now there are less than 30.

With the passage of the prolife legislation known as the Prolife Bus (H.B. 5711) in 2012, abortion clinics in Michigan will no longer be allowed to operate without being licensed and inspected. The Prolife Bus will prevent women from being coerced to abort, end the shameful practice of disposing aborted babies in trash bins, and prevent the abortion chemical RU‑486 from being facilitated over the Internet. The Prolife Bus took effect on March 31 and will require Michigan’s abortion clinics to be licensed and inspected if they perform more than 120 abortions a year. Prior to the passage of this legislation only 4 of Michigan’s abortion clinics were licensed.

                               

Prolife efforts in Michigan are making a difference. Prolife efforts are saving lives! Learn more about the prolife movement and how you can become involved by visiting Right to Life of Michigan at www.rtl.org.

Gallup poll finds majority of Americans believe abortion shouldn't be legal in majority of cases

Gallup's annual poll on abortion is out today. 58% of Americans believe abortion should be legal in only a few or no cases. Only 26% of Americans support the current status of abortion being legal for any reason. 48% of Americans call themselves "pro-life," and 45% call themselves "pro-choice." The poll also found that 54% of Americans say they have not followed the Kermit Gosnell trial at all.

Gallup poses a follow-up question of respondents who opt for the middle position -- those saying abortion should be "legal only under certain circumstances" -- asking if it should be legal in most or in only a few circumstances. The responses break nearly 3-1 in favor of the more restrictive policy.

The resulting distribution of views shows 26% of Americans favoring legalized abortion under any circumstances, 13% favoring legality under most circumstances, 38% favoring it in only in a few circumstances, and 20% saying it should be illegal in all circumstances

FULL STORY

After 39 years of killing unborn children, another Michigan abortion clinic closes

Below is a screen capture of the web site of the Birth Control Center.  The Birth Control Center is an abortion clinic in Sterling Heights, Michigan which has operated for 39 years. It is now closed.  The web site says "BIRTH CONTROL CENTER after 39 years us now closed."

Right to Life of Michigan's Abortion Clinic Abuses report noted that Richard Goldfine, the abortionist at the Birth Control Center, was cited by the Michigan Department of Community Health in 2007 for not having a pre-operative sink.  The inspection found Goldfine would scrub up for procedures in the same hand wash sink “also used to separate solid waste products from liquids collected during or after the procedure.” He was washing his hands over an unsterile strainer and unsterile equipment used to empty and process waste and fetal remains after abortions.

Ohio prosecutors may charge Ariel Castro with killing unborn children

In the horrific case of the three women who were kidnaped and held captive for years, prosecutors said they could charge Ariel Castro with murder.  According to his victims, Castro starved and beat at least one of his captives when she became pregnant in order to kill the children in her womb. 

The man accused of holding three women captive in his house for more than a decade could face the death penalty if it's determined he is responsible for the deaths of the victims' unborn children, prosecutors said Thursday.

Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Timothy McGinty said pending further police investigation, Castro, 52, could face charge of murder in the course of kidnapping, which carries a potential death penalty. McGinty will present the case to the grand jury and could seek aggravated murder charges for each of the pregnancies.

Initial police reports obtained by Cleveland TV station WKYC said kidnap victims Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight were raped by Castro. Knight was impregnated five times during her captivity, then starved and beaten, forcing the termination of the fetuses.

FULL STORY

Abuses in abortion industry exposed

The nation is waiting for the verdict in the trial of Philadelphia abortionist Kermit Gosnell. The jury is into the second week of deliberations, having asked the last couple days to rehear key testimony from employees who saw Gosnell "snip" the necks of born-alive infants. The jury's decision could be reached any day now.

Gosnell is not an outlier. Here in Michigan, Right to Life of Michigan is committed to exposing the abuses of the abortion industry in our own state. Just in the last two years eight abortion clinics have been closed in Michigan. The Prolife Omnibus Act that went into effect on March 31, 2013, includes provisions that require proper licensing and inspections of Michigan abortion clinics.

On April 30, Michigan State Senators held a hearing about how a personal relationship with the chairman of the Board of Medicine allowed abortionist Robert Alexander to continue operating despite numerous complaints against him. His Muskegon abortion business was closed in December of 2012 after city officials found filthy conditions throughout his office.

In April, another abortion clinic closed in Dearborn and the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs confirmed that abortionist Theodore Roumell did not have the necessary state controlled substance licenses to operate his three surgical abortion businesses.

The work of Right to Life of Michigan continues. Not only are we exposing the abuse in the abortion industry, but we partner with more than 150 pregnancy help agencies, offering hope and help for mothers and their babies preparing to be born.

Resources for arguing against abortion

First Things has published links to a variety of philosophical papers and books which provide helpful argument for prolife people to argue against abortion. 

FULL STORY

U.S. House committees move to examine state oversight of abortion clinics

The House Energy and Commerce Committee and the House Judiciary Committee have sent letters to the state health departments and attorney generals, respectively, to better understand how states regulate abortion clinics and how states enforce laws regulating abortion clinics.  Congressman Fred Upton (R-MI) is the chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. 

Energy and Commerce Committee Vice Chairman Marsha Blackburn said, "Planned Parenthood called Gosnell's 'House of Horrors' an 'outlier,' but we're learning Gosnell is not an aberration: approached by women who complained about the disgusting conditions at Gosnell's facility, they didn't report it. When the Pennsylvania Department of Health found out about Gosnell they sat on their hands and the media was silent. Now we're discovering that other big abortion businesses refuse to give medical treatment to babies who survive botched abortions and we're finding out the truth from former pro-choice nurses who called their own Gosnell-like clinics 'ridiculously unsafe' where 'meat-market style of assembly-line abortions' happen. Oversight and enforcement are desperately needed so we can help stop these Gosnell scenarios from continuing."

FULL STORY

Unknown U.S. Senator blocks resolution to investigate illegal abortion practices

Recently, U.S. Senator Mike Lee introduced a resolution calling for Congress to investigate the circumstances that led to the horrors at Kermit Gosnell's abortion clinic.  Yesterday, another unknown U.S. senator filed an objection to this resolution. 

“It is difficult to imagine why anyone would object to a non-binding resolution calling on Congress to investigate these alleged disturbing, horrific, and illegal abortion practices committed by Kermit Gosnell and others,” said Senator Lee, who filed the resolution on Monday evening.  “With numerous reports of similar instances surfacing around the country, the need for greater regulatory oversight of these so-called clinics is so plainly obvious it strains the limits of disbelief to think all members of the Senate would not agree. The resolution is simply an affirmation that we as a country – a moral and compassionate society – have an interest in acting to save the lives of innocent women and children, and to prevent these kinds of heinous acts from happening to anyone again.”

FULL STORY

Congressman shares about his close encounter with abortion

U.S. Rep. Marlin Stutzman of Indiana shares the story of how his life almost ended in an abortion clinic in Kalamazoo. 

There is no moral distinction between ending a child’s life five seconds after birth or five days before. Yet many of those who are repulsed by Dr. Gosnell too quickly pivot to phrases like 'safe, legal and rare' as if they were legitimate arguments.

FULL STORY

Shhhhh! Kermit Gosnell and the media blackout

The Kermit Gosnell trial jury has been deliberating for several days on the hundreds of charges he faces, and could reach a verdict any day now. We have an excellent breakdown that looks at those charges as well as the media blackout over the trial and Planned Parenthood's recent testimony in favor of infanticide.

FULL STORY

Late-term abortionist LeRoy Carhart compares baby in womb to "meat in a crockpot"

The latest undercover video by the prolife group Live Action features undercover footage and recording of abortionist LeRoy Carhart.  Carhart is the infamous abortionist who challenged Nebraska's partial-birth abortion ban and the federal ban on partial-birth abortion. 

On two occasions, undercover investigators visited Carhart's clinic and spoke with him about having late-term abortions.  The women were 26 weeks and 22 weeks pregnant. 

The video reveals that Carhart frequently performs abortions past the time of viability, compares a dead baby in the womb to "meat in a crockpot," tells patients not to call 911, lies about never having to send a patient to the hospital and lies about his role in the death of Jennifer Morbelli. 



MORE BACKGROUND ON CARHART

Meet Cierra, a child saved from forced abortion

Cierra

Several months ago there was a story about a disabled pregnant woman from Nevada who was facing a potential court-ordered forced abortion and sterilization, despite her willingness to give birth. Prolifers from across the country created a backlash may have played a role in preventing a forced abortion and saving a life.  

After initially appearing to favor the forced abortion, the judge subsequently decided against the abortion after the case received widespread attention, provoking a heated backlash from pro-life activists around the country.

Cierra “has a lot of dark hair and a nice pink skin tone,” wrote Bauer family attorney Jason Guinasso in an email to LifeSiteNews announcing the birth.  “She is sweet and good natured.  By all measures, she is perfectly healthy and sublimely beautiful.”

Guinasso said both mother and baby are doing well, and a loving adoptive family has been identified for baby Cierra.

FULL STORY

U.S. Senators introduce resolution for Congress to investigate late-term abortions, infanticide

In light of the murder trial of abortion Kermit Gosnell, U.S. Senator Mike Lee and some of his colleagues have introduced a resolution which calls for Congress to investigate the late-term abortion policy in the United States and the actions abortion clinics take if children are born alive. 
   

Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) introduced a resolution Monday that calls on the Senate to review abortion policies in wake of the trial for Kermit Gosnell, the Philadelphia abortion provider charged with first-degree murder for killing four babies and third-degree murder for killing one woman, in addition to other charges.

"Congress has the responsibility to investigate and conduct hearings on abortions performed near, at or after viability in the United States, public policies regarding such, and evaluate the extent to which such abortions involve violations of the natural right to life of infants who are born alive or are capable of being born alive, and therefore are entitled to equal protection under the law," the resolution states.....

The resolution states that lawmakers "should gather information about and correct abusive, unsanitary and illegal abortion practices and the interstate referral of women and girls to facilities engaged in dangerous or illegal second- and third-trimester procedures."

FULL STORY

Prolife students at Jackson High School speak out of life

Above is a photo of prolife students at Jackson High School who painted their school's rock with a prolife message. 

Family who was encouraged to abort daughter testifies in favor of medical transparency

Family photo of Faith Smith

While pregnant with Faith, Brad and Jesi Smith were encouraged on multiple occasions by their doctors to have an abortion after Faith was diagnosed with Trisomy 18 while in the womb.  The Smiths refused and after Faith was born, doctors refused to repair holes in Faith's heart until they sought treatment at another hospital.  This week, the Smiths traveled to Lansing to testify about the importance of hospitals providing transparency regarding treatments they consider futile. 

A proposed state law would force hospitals to be up front with patients and loved ones when doctors believe treatment is medically futile.

And this morning, the reason behind the Medical Good Faith Provisions Act — a little girl named Faith — sat with her brothers and sisters at a meeting of the House of Representatives Health Policy Committee, babbling and fidgeting and studying the room around her. Now 4, she has defied doctor's expectations that she'd die before her first birthday.

FULL STORY

Lieutenant Governor Brian Calley speaks at Right to Life event

Telegram photo of Brian Calley by Vicki Schmucker

On Tuesday, Michigan's lieutenant governor, Brian Calley, spoke at the Lenawee County Right to Life dinner.  The dinner and Calley's speech were covered by the Adrian Telegram. 

People should be willing to talk to their children and grandchildren about pro-life issues, he said.

"Where it really, really counts, where it matters more than anything, are the people that sit around your dinner table," Calley said.

The opinions, practices and thoughts of the younger generation "will be the public policy in the next generation," Calley said.

"And so you cannot afford to lose even one generation, and this is where it counts, this is where it matters the most," Calley said.

FULL STORY

Abortion advocate Rep. Gary Peters announces run for U.S. Senate

On May 1, Congressman Gary Peters announced his candidacy for Michigan's U.S. Senate seat which is currently held by Senator Carl Levin.  Senator Levin had previously announced he wouldn't run for a 7th term in 2014.

During his time as a politician and an elected official, Gary Peters has amassed what is arguably the most anti-life record of any politician in Michigan.

While in the Michigan Senate, Peters voted to keep the heinous practice of partial-birth abortion legal.
   
Representative Peters has a 0% voting record in Congress as scored by National Right to Life Committee.  This includes votes against the No Taxpayer Funding of Abortion Act, a ban on sex-selection abortion, legislation to prohibit abortions after 22 weeks on pain-capable children in Washington, D.C. and an amendment to prohibit federal funding of abortion and federal subsidies for insurance coverage of abortion.

During his 2010 run for Congress, Peters said he would "always oppose measures" which restrict abortion. 

Not only has Peters been an outspoken advocate for abortion, he was also a leading advocate for legalizing assisted suicide in Michigan. 

In 1997, as a state senator, Peters introduced S.B. 653, to legalize assisted suicide in Michigan. After his legislation was defeated, Peters went on to become a honorary co-chairman of Proposal B which also attempted to legalize assisted suicide in Michigan.  Proposal B was soundly defeated 71% to 29% in 1998. 

Late term abortion clinic in Arizona admits they won't resuscitate children born alive

Today, the prolife organization Live Action released another undercover video exposing how late-term abortion providers would treat a child who survives an abortion.  This video features a discussion with the abortionist and an abortion clinic counselor.  When questioned the abortionist misleads the investigator about how developed the child is, claiming at a child at 23 weeks gestation "doesn't even look like a baby."  The abortion clinic counselor says the clinic would not resuscitate the child if she was born alive and breathing. 

Two-year-old receives life-saving windpipe created from her own stem cells

In another success story for life-affirming stem cell research, the life of a two-year-old girl has been saved as doctors were able to use her own stem cells to create a windpipe for a little girl who was born without one. 

(Photo: Kim Myung-sub, AP/The Korea Herald)

Hannah Warren has been unable to breathe, eat, drink or swallow on her own since she was born in South Korea in 2010. Until the operation at a U.S. hospital, she had spent her entire life in a hospital in Seoul. Doctors there told her parents there was no hope and they expected her to die.

The stem cells came from Hannah's bone marrow, extracted with a special needle inserted into her hip bone. They were seeded in a lab onto a plastic scaffold, where it took less than a week for them to multiply and create a new windpipe.

The windpipe was implanted April 9 in a nine-hour procedure.

Early signs indicate the windpipe is working, Hannah's doctors announced Tuesday, although she is still on a ventilator. They believe she will eventually be able to live at home and lead a normal life.

FULL STORY

Michigan Senate committee reviews how abortionist Robert Alexander was never investigated

In last night's broadcast, WOODTV 8 reported on a Michigan Senate committee which reviewed how a personal relationship between the chairman of the Board of Medicine allowed abortionist Robert Alexander to continue operating without being investigated despite complaints against him.

Senators consider abortion doctor case

Those complaints -- about alleged botched abortions -- were closed out by the then state Board of Medicine Chairman Dr. George Shade. It was the same Dr. Shade who, several years earlier, helped Alexander get his medical license back after Alexander had served time in prison for selling illegal prescriptions......

"There are probably lots of small things that could be fixed in Public Health Code, but I think opening up the entire code is not the best idea," Engle said. "In the vast majority of cases, the process does work very well."

But the Judiciary Committee said that wasn't enough, especially after Engle told them that the new chairman of the Board of Medicine, Richard E. Burney, of Ann Arbor, refused to re-open the investigation into Dr. Alexander.

"Wow," Sen. Rick Jones, R-Grand Ledge, responded. "Unbelievable. Unbelievable."

"Please convey to that board chairman that that inaction, that shocking lack of caring, is going to lead to legislation," Jones continued.   

FULL STORY

Gosnell patient talks about learning Gosnell stored her child's foot

The video below was produced by the makers of the documentary 3801 Lancaster and has interviews with Desiree Hawkins and her mother.  Desiree had an abortion at Kermit Gosnell's abortion clinic when she was 16 after being referred there by another abortion clinic in Maryland.  She was recently contacted by the prosecutors in the Gosnell case to be a possible witness.  Her child's severed foot was one of the feet stored by Gosnell.



"The picture itself is horrible..." Another Story from 3801 Lancaster
from 3801Lancaster on Vimeo.