Gosnell Murder Trial: Judge Drops 3 Murder Charges

Though the media keeps calling him "abortion doctor Kermit Gosnell" it's obvious to all of us that he was anything but a doctor. Gosnell, 72, stands accused of running a literal horror show he calledthe Women's Medical Society. Most of us have read about the unsanitary instruments, unlicensed practitioners, fetuses held in milk jugs and blood spattered floor. Originally, Gosnell was charged with eight counts of murder, those charges were reduced to five counts of murder after the judge ruled in his favor on those three counts. How exactly did this happen?

Gosnell's defense attorney Jack McMahon, argued to Judge Jefferey Minehart that, "There is not one piece...of objective, scientific evidence that anyone was born alive at Gosnell's clinic." Seven of the murder charges pertained to the death of newborn babies, which Gosnell delivered regularly via induced vaginal labor. Gosnell regularly performed abortions after the 24-week cutoff period which is against is law in Pennsylvania. Former employees reported practicing what Gosnell called "snipping." This involved severing the spinal cord from the brain. Judge Jefferey Minehart has not yet given any reason for why he dropped three of the charges. Gosnell is also charged with the third-degree murder of the death of a patient, though many more were severely injured or maimed while under his "care."

The clinic first opened its doors in 1979 and despite some 46 lawsuits against him, he remained in business performing abortions in exchange for cash. Gosnell plead not guilty to all of the charges against him. The grand jury investigation into Gosnell is over 300 pages long. His defense team will try to paint the case against Gosnell as a witch hunt, that none of the fetuses in question were born alive and that despite the facilities appearance, the clinic was operating within normal parameters. The trial first began on March 18 and is expected to last two months. The five murder charges he faces carry with them the maximum penalty of death.