PHILADELPHIA, May 14, 2013, (LifeSiteNews.com) – Kermit Gosnell will receive life in prison for killing babies born alive in his West Philadelphia abortion facility.
Gosnell avoided the death penalty for two of three counts of first-degree murder by waiving his right to an appeal in exchange for a two consecutive life sentences.
Gosnell and his attorney, Jack McMahon, struck a deal before Judge Jeffrey Minehart at approximately 4 p.m., according to local media.
The sentence, which carries no possibility of parole, represents one life sentence each for “Baby C” and “Baby D.”
Minehart is expected to impose an additional life sentence for “Baby A” and other penalties for the remaining crimes on Wednesday morning.
Without this afternoon's bargain the jury, which was scheduled to begin sentencing deliberations one week from today, could have imposed death by lethal injection.
Media sources add that the deal does not include punishment for the death of 41-year-old Karnamaya Mongar, because her family wishes to address the court. Mongar died in 2009 when an untrained assistant administered an overdose of sedatives.
On Monday, jurors convicted the 72-year-old abortion pioneer of three counts of first-degree murder, one count of infanticide, one charge of involuntary manslaughter, tampering with evidence, and conducting more than 20 abortions after the state's 24-week limit. In all, the jury found he had violated more than 200 state abortion laws.
Rather than dismember a baby inside the womb, Gosnell would deliver babies inside his squalid Women's Medical Society, then “snip” their spinal column with scissors.
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Three babies – A, C, and D – were known to have been murdered in this fashion. However, his employees testified under oath that they had seen Gosnell perform the procedure “hundreds” of times.
McMahon said, “The media has been overwhelmingly against” Gosnell during his trial. However, pro-life activists have accused the media of ignoring the story, because it does not promote efforts to liberalize abortion-on-demand.
Troy Newman of Operation Rescue found it ironic that Gosnell would “choose life” for himself while denying it to so many unborn children. He added that while Gosnell is in prison, “I'll be praying for his repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.”