Philadelphia, Pennsylvania — Philadelphia abortionist Kermit Gosnell has been found guilty of three counts of first degree murder in the deaths of newborn babies, and one count of involuntary manslaughter in the death of a woman that died while obtaining an abortion at his “House of Horrors.”
The jury announced its verdict shortly after 3 p.m. this afternoon, as the seven women and five men came to a consensus after 10 days of deliberation, the majority of whom professed to be pro-abortion. The verdict was read aloud for all counts before being made public.
Gosnell was found not guilty in the death of one baby, who was allegedly heard screeching before his or her death. Nine other counts, including the murder of three other newborn babies, had been dropped by Judge Jeffrey Minehart last month.
The abortionist faced 263 charges in all, including racketeering and performing illegal late-term abortions. He was found guilty of many of these charges, including operating a “corrupt organization” and conspiracy, as well as one count of infanticide. All charges involving the deaths of babies centered solely on those believed to have been murdered after birth, as opposed to an in utero abortion.
Gosnell now faces the death penalty for each of the first degree murder counts as his case moves to sentencing on May 21st.
As previously reported, Gosnell, 72, was taken into custody in 2011 following an investigation into his practice called the Women’s Medical Society. Investigators had not initially been aware that Gosnell was running a late-term abortion facility, but visited the location over suspicions about the illegal sale of controlled substances.
Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams, who initially leveled the charges against the abortionist, described Gosnell’s operation two years ago as a “House of Horrors.”
“[Investigators] found jar after jar after jar of fetal remains and specifically severed feet in jars,” he explained in front of a panel following the compilation of the Grand Jury Report. “They found medical waste bags just strewn everywhere.”
Williams also outlined that several babies had been found with their spinal cords severed. It was believed that Gosnell birthed a number of babies alive, then “snipped” the back of their neck with scissors in order to kill them.
He was initially charged with seven counts of first-degree murder — the most severe charge, which signifies that the acts were premeditated — for the deaths of babies who were believed to have died in this manner, and one count of third-degree murder for the death of 41-year-old Karnamaya Mongar, an abortion client who died after she was administered a lethal amount of medication. Numerous other charges were leveled against the abortionist as well, including operating a corrupt organization.
During his seven-week trial, a number of Gosnell’s employees testified against the abortionist, outlining how they had witnessed Gosnell ending the lives of newborn babies by “snipping” their necks with scissors. Abortion worker Kareema Cross told the jury during her turn at the stand that Gosnell took one of the late-term babies that was born alive and placed him in a container the size of a shoe box. As he was carrying the box to the table, the baby “pulled in its arms” and then also pulled in its legs “to fit itself into the box.”
“The doctor then cut the back of the baby’s neck,” Cross said, adding that Gosnell joked that the baby could have “walked to the store and the bus stop.”
Days prior, Gosnell employee Sherry West said that she couldn’t bring herself to kill a tiny newborn that was crying before it died.
“There was this clear glass pan, and I saw it and I thought, ‘What do you expect me to do?’” West told the court.
“It didn’t have eyes or a mouth, but it was screeching, making this noise,” she recalled. “It really freaked me out and I said, ‘Call Dr. Gosnell,’ and I went back out front.”
Similarly, Stephen Massof as well that it would “rain fetuses” on some days at the facility, and that he witnessed Gosnell snip the spinal cords of at least 100 newborn babies.
“It was literally a beheading,” Massof stated as he described the “snipping” technique. “It is separating the brain from the body.”
Adrienne Moton, an assistant to Gosnell, also told the court that babies who were born alive had their spines “snipped” with scissors.
“I learned it from Dr. Gosnell,” she stated when asked by prosecutor Assistant District Attorney Edward Cameron where she came up with the idea. “I never asked why.”
“Can you say how many you did?” Cameron inquired.
“I could remember a good 10 times that I did it,” Moton replied, obviously nervous.
All of Gosnell’s employees, including his wife, have been incarcerated either as a result of their participation in ending the lives of children born at the facility or surrounding their involvement in the illegal dispensing of drugs and the death of Karnamaya Mongar.
His sentencing phase begins May 21st.