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Although there have been numerous delays and postponements, it appears that jury selection will finally begin March 3 in the trial of abortionist Kermit Gosnell. The 72-year-old Gosnell is accused of seven counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of babies aborted alive and then killed when their spinal cords were slit; and one count of third-degree murder in the case of  41-year-old Karnamaya Mongar, who died from a drug overdose reportedly prescribed by Gosnell.

Two women, who have already reached plea agreements with prosecutors, will testify against Gosnell, according to the [Delaware] News-Journal. Sherry West and Lynda Williams both worked for Gosnell and were named in the now famous 2011 Grand Jury report.

“Williams admitted to two counts of third-degree murder for using a pair of scissors to kill one newborn and for her role in the 2009 overdose death of a patient,” Sean O’Sullivan reported. “West admitted to one count of third-degree murder, two counts of conspiracy and one count of participating in a corrupt organization.”

The News Journal story highlighted three lesser known facts about Gosnell and his “House of Horrors” in Philadelphia.

First, O’Sullivan writes that “Gosnell and members of his clinic staff, including two Delaware women, are accused of killing at least seven babies that were delivered alive during abortion procedures at Gosnell’s West Philadelphia clinic.” Notice the “at least.”

Second, Gosnell, whose bundle of criminal charges is up to 30, performed abortions in Delaware as well as Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and in some cases used both for the same woman. “At least one woman who delivered a live baby during an abortion – that was then killed by clinic staff – was from Delaware, according to the grand jury report, and Gosnell started the procedure at a now-closed Wilmington clinic before completing it at his West Philadelphia Women’s Medical Society clinic,” O’Sullivan explains.

Third, discovering the ghastly conditions and all the deaths was an accident. Authorities were convinced Gosnell was operating a “pill mill,” and it was only when they raided his Women’s Medical Society abortion clinic in West Philadelphia that the truth came out about his abortion practice.

O’Sullivan wrote that the two women were also charged in the U.S. Eastern District of Pennsylvania for federal crimes related to the clinic’s mishandling of drugs. “According to the federal indictment, Gosnell was running a “pill mill,” distributing the painkiller oxycodone and other controlled substances to “patients” for a fee,” O’Sullivan reported.

“The indictment stated Gosnell would meet briefly with patients, with little to no physical examination, and then prescribe the painkiller without a medical need. Williams, West and others would then assist in renewing prescriptions for cash-paying customers at the clinic. Court papers indicate thousands of prescriptions were improperly written in this way, for about $20 each, between 2008 and 2010, and staff members often collected $10 to $20 ‘tips’ for each prescription filled at area pharmacies.”

As the Grand Jury  indignantly pointed out, having babies survive very late-term abortions was no accident.

“Killing really had to be part of Gosnell’s plan.  His method for performing late-term abortions was to induce labor and delivery of intact fetuses, and he specialized in patients who were well beyond 24 weeks.  Thus, the birth of live, viable babies was a natural and predictable consequence.  The subsequent slitting of spinal cords, without any consideration for the babies’ viability, was an integral part of what Gosnell’s employees called his ‘standard procedure.’ … Gosnell’s intent to never resuscitate was obvious from his failure to employ even minimally qualified personnel or to have the equipment necessary to save the lives of newborn infants.  The policy he instituted and carries out was not to try to revive live, viable babies.  It was to kill them.”

Reprinted with permission from National Right to Life News