Kermit Gosnell Found Guilty Of First Degree Murder

Philadelphia abortion doctor Kermit Gosnell was found guilty of first degree murder in three of four infant deaths. Gosnell was also convicted of involuntary manslaughter in the death of a female patient.

With the convictions against him, Gosnell could face the death penalty. The verdict came on the jury’s 10th day of deliberations for more than 200 counts in the case.

The guilty verdict came just hours after the jurors told the judge they were deadlocked on two counts. The judge told them to try again for a unanimous verdict, though did not specify which of the counts they were deadlocked on.

The Philadelphia abortion doctor was accused of performing late-term abortions on at least four babies. They were born alive but were allegedly killed by Kermit Gosnell.

The jury heard two months of grisly testimony including accounts from members of Gosnell’s staff. Eight of the staff members have pleaded guilty to several crimes. Prosecutors alleged that none of the staff members were licensed nurses or doctors.

Kermit Gosnell ran the Women’s Medical Society in West Philadelphia for decades. But, in February 2010, the FBI raided his clinic looking for evidence of prescription drug dealing. Instead, they found much worse. According to a grand jury report released in 2011, they discovered a filthy “house of horrors.”

Despite numerous complaints and 46 lawsuits filed against the Philadelphia abortion doctor, state regulators conducted just five inspections of Kermit Gosnell’s clinic since it opened in 1979. The clinic served mostly low-income women and teens.

Gosnell’s involuntary manslaughter conviction came from 2009 when a woman died from an overdose of sedatives after an abortion. The drugs were administered by Gosnell’s untrained and unsupervised staff. Prosecutors alleged that Gosnell delivered at least four babies alive and then killed them by cutting their spines with scissors.

Along with four counts of murder, the Philadelphis abortion doctor faced more than 250 counts of abortion-law violations for performing abortions after Pennsylvania’s 24-week cutoff. He also allegedly failed to counsel patients.

Jurors will start hearing evidence on May 21 for whether Philadelphia abortion doctor Kermit Gosnell should be sentenced to death.