Abortion doctor Kermit Gosnell guilty on three counts of first-degree murder, ‘involuntary manslaughter’ in woman’s death
A Philadelphia abortion provider who killed babies by cutting their spinal cords with scissors was found guilty of first-degree murder on Monday.
The conviction on three counts of first-degree murder means Dr. Kermit Gosnell, 72, could be sentenced to death.
A prosecutor sobbed after the verdict in the high-profile case was announced.
Gosnell appeared shocked. He let out a sigh and shook his head back and forth.
Gosnell also was accused in the death of Karnamaya Mongar, 41, who died of an anesthetic overdose during a second-trimester abortion at his West Philadelphia clinic. In that case, the jury found him guilty of involuntary manslaughter.
Gosnell was also found guilty of 21 counts of abortion of the unborn, 24 weeks or older.
In Pennsylvania, abortions past 24 weeks are illegal unless the health of the mother is at stake.
The case next moves to the penalty phase, when jurors will weigh whether to give Gosnell a death sentence. It’s possible the doctor will testify, said William Brennan, an attorney who represented Gosnell earlier in the case.
“I would think there would be a lot of mitigation in this case and I think probably, and this is a guess, but probably at that time the jury would hear from Dr. Gosnell,” he said.
Gosnell’s co-defendant, Eileen O’Neill, 56, was found guilty of conspiracy to operate a corrupt organization and two counts of theft by deception for operating without a license to practice medicine. O’Neill, a medical school graduate, was not charged with performing illegal abortions.
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