Denver Catholic

6 I WORLD/NATION MAY 15, 2013 I DENVER CATHOLIC REGISTER Abortionist Kermit Gosnell convicted of three baby murders Baby D was delivered into a manslaughter in the death of a toilet. A clinic staffer told the patient who died of an overdose grand jury that the baby moved in 2009. Prosecutors had sought and looked like it was swim- a third-degree murder charge in her case, saying Gosming when another nell let his untrained staffer removed the baand unlicensed staff by from the toilet and give the 41-year-old cut its neck. Bhutanese immigrant The abortionist was woman a fatal combifound not guilty in the nation of drugs. death of Baby E, who a The abortionist was witness said cried bealso convicted of infore Gosnell killed it and KERMIT fanticide in the death put it in a waste bin. GOSNELL of Baby A and conspirGosnell initially acy in the deaths of bafaced seven counts of first-degree murder for the bies D and C. Gosnell faced more than 250 deaths of infants who were alCOMMERCIAL & legedly killed after being born charges, including racketeerRESIDENTIAL ing, conspiracy and violations alive. Judge Jeffrey Minehart threw of Pennsylvania's late-term Mechanical & Plumbing Services out three of the infant murder abortion ban. He faced more Since 1906 HVAC charges for unstated reasons. than 200 counts of breaking a Plumbing Gosnell's attorney had argued state law that requires a 24-hour Refrigeration that there was no proof the ba- waiting period on abortion. A+ ACCREDITED Faithful BUSINESS The gruesome testimony at Rating Parishioners Building Maintenance bies had been born alive. The abortion doctor was the trial included reports that found guilty of involuntary Gosnell and his staff snipped the necks of more than 100 babies who survived abortions. To celebrate the One doctor at the clinic testified that the procedure was "literally a beheading." and commemorate the The grand jury report said th that most of the acts could not 95 anniversary of the death of Julia Greeley, be prosecuted because Gosnell Denver's Apostle of Charity and Devotion to the Sacred Heart, destroyed the files. Gosnell's name became a ralthe Julia Greeley Guild (www.juliagreeley.org) and Sacred lying cry for pro-life advocates Heart Church, 2760 Larimer St., Denver, have scheduled a special who lamented a lack of major Mass in honor of the Sacred Heart and consecration to Him on First media coverage of his trial. Their efforts on social media helped Friday evening June 7 at 7 p.m. All are invited. Celebrant and draw attention to the case. homilist: Fr. Blaine Burkey, O.F.M.Cap. At a reception afterwards in Lila Rose, president of the the Parish hall, Fr. Blaine's biography of Julia Greeley, In Secret pro-life group Live Action, said Gosnell's "gruesome and inhuService of the Sacred Heart, will be available for purchase. man crimes" had "cried out for justice." "Even as we celebrate this verdict, we honor and mourn as well those innocents who did not receive 'their day in court'— and we must remember that Gosnell is not an outlier within the abortion industry," Rose said May 13. PHILADELPHIA, Pa. (CNA/ EWTN News)—Philadelphia abortionist Kermit Gosnell was convicted May 13 on three of the four first-degree murder charges for killing babies who had been born alive. Gosnell, 72, could face the death penalty for the murder charges. The jury will hear arguments for and against a death sentence May 21. The unborn babies were known only by letters, and Gosnell was convicted of the murders of Baby Boy A, Baby C and Baby D at his Philadelphia clinic, the Women's Medical Society. Baby Boy A was killed after Gosnell induced delivery on his mother, who was almost 30 weeks pregnant. Gosnell severed the baby's spine and put his body in a shoebox for disposal, joking that the baby was so big he could "walk me to the bus stop," the grand jury report said. Baby C moved and breathed for 20 minutes after delivery before an assistant cut the baby's spinal cord. ® 303-777-3037 • Braconier.com Solemnity of the Sacred Heart NOTICE TO OUR READERS Jack McMahon, Gosnell's attorney, said his client was "disappointed" and "upset" over the verdict. McMahon said the jury "obviously took their job seriously." The jury had said it was deadlocked on two charges early on May 13. It was not reported which charges had caused the deadlock. Gosnell's clinic had minimal state oversight through 1993 and no oversight since then. The practices at his clinic were not discovered until a Federal Bureau of Investigation and Drug Enforcement Agency raid was conducted in February 2010 to seek evidence of illegal distribution of prescription painkillers. Investigators found bloodstained rooms and filthy equipment. The clinic stored aborted fetuses in a basement freezer in plastic food containers and bags next to staff lunches. Gosnell kept severed feet of unborn babies preserved in specimen jars, allegedly for future identification or DNA samples. Staff allegedly sent women to give birth into toilets, a doctor allegedly spread sexually transmitted infections to women through poor sanitary standards, and a 15-year-old staffer administered anesthesia to patients. The clinic allegedly gave better treatment to white patients. Several of Gosnell's former employees have pleaded guilty to murder and other charges. The exposure of Gosnell's clinic resulted in the firing of two high-ranking Pennsylvania health department officials and tougher rules for Philadelphia abortion clinics, none of which had been inspected in 15 years. Gosnell had also operated a clinic in Delaware. He performed thousands of abortions over his 30-year career, making about $1.8 million per year. THE DENVER CATHOLIC REGISTER'S SUMMER SCHEDULE STARTS THE WEEK OF MAY 26, 2013. THERE WILL BE NO NEWSPAPER DELIVERY THAT WEEK. In June, July and August, the Denver Catholic Register will publish bi-weekly— a switch from the normal weekly format. Following the May 22 issue, readers will receive the Register every other week. Weekly editions will resume after the Aug. 28 issue. This regularly reduced publication schedule is an annual cost-saving measure that enables us to continue good stewardship. Readers of George Weigel's "The Catholic Difference" will be able to read the column online each week at archden.org. 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