Phila. doctor charged with murder in abortion cases

A Philadelphia doctor and nine others have been arrested and are facing charges for running a clinic that performed illegal late-term abortions.

Together, they face nine murder charges and other related offenses.

This warning, some of the descriptions in this report could be disturbing.

Dr. Kermit Gosnell is accused of routinely performing abortions in the sixth, seventh and eighth month of pregnancy.  Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams says in some cases a teenager without medical training gave the anesthesia.

“In case after case, Dr Gosnell and his assistants induced labor, forced the live birth of viable babies in the sixth, seventh and eighth months of pregnancy and then killed the babies by cutting into the backs of their necks with scissors and severing their spinal cords,” said Williams.

Williams says conditions at the clinic known as Women’s Medical Society were so unsanitary, the grand jury visited wearing hazardous materials suits.  His descriptions were graphic.

“There was a jar, jars lining shelves with severed feet that he kept for no medical purpose,” said Williams.  “There were fetal remains in the same exact refrigerator that the employees had their lunch in the same day.”

Williams is not sure if he will ask for the death penalty in the case.

Dr. Gosnell’s lawyer had no direct comment on the indictment.  He’s asking for people to give his client the presumption of innocence.