Kermit Gosnell

Kermit Gosnell
Gosnell's booking photo in 2011
Born
Kermit Barron Gosnell

(1941-02-09) February 9, 1941 (age 83)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Criminal statusIncarcerated
SpousePearl Gosnell[2]
Children6
Conviction(s)Federal
Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances (21 U.S.C. § 846)
Distribution of controlled substances (21 U.S.C. § 841) (10 counts)
Maintaining a place for the illegal distribution of controlled substances (21 U.S.C. § 856)
Pennsylvania
First degree murder (3 counts)
Involuntary manslaughter
Performing an illegal late-term abortion (21 counts)
Violating the 24-hour informed consent law (211 counts)
Criminal penaltyFederal
30 years imprisonment
Pennsylvania
Three consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole
Details
Victims48+[1]
Span of crimes
2006–2010
CountryUnited States
State(s)Pennsylvania
Date apprehended
January 19, 2011
Imprisoned atSCI Huntingdon

Kermit Barron Gosnell (born February 9, 1941) is an American serial killer and former abortion doctor. He provided illegal late-term abortions at his clinic in West Philadelphia. Gosnell was convicted of the murders of three infants who were born alive after using drugs to induce labor, the manslaughter of one woman during an abortion procedure, and of several other abortion- and drug-related crimes.[3][4][5][6][7] Staff at Gosnell's clinic testified that there were hundreds of infants born alive during abortion procedures, and subsequently killed by Gosnell.[8][9][10][11]

Gosnell, based in the Mantua neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, owned and operated the Women's Medical Society Clinic, a non-compliant abortion clinic that was dubbed a "house of horrors" during his criminal trial.[12] In a 2010 raid, authorities found the intact human remains of 47 victims stored in bags and cartons, numerous of which were suspected and later confirmed to be victims of infanticide.[13][14][15] In 2011, Gosnell, his wife Pearl, and eight employees were charged with a total of 32 felonies and 227 misdemeanors in connection with numerous deaths, illegal abortion procedures, and regulatory violations. Gosnell was also a prolific prescriber of numerous controlled substances, including OxyContin.[16] Pearl and the eight employees pleaded guilty to various charges in 2011, whilst Gosnell pleaded not guilty and sought a jury trial.[17]

In May 2013, Gosnell was convicted of first-degree murder in the deaths of three of the infants and involuntary manslaughter in the death of Karnamaya Mongar, an adult patient at the clinic who died following an abortion procedure. Gosnell was also convicted of 21 felony counts of illegal late-term abortion and 211 counts of violating Pennsylvania's 24-hour informed consent law. After his conviction, Gosnell waived his right to appeal in exchange for an agreement by prosecutors not to seek the death penalty. He was sentenced to life in prison without parole.[18][19] Gosnell was sentenced to an additional 30 years in prison for federal drug charges.[20] Gosnell is currently incarcerated at SCI Huntingdon.

  1. ^ "Philadelphia abortion doctor sentenced to three life terms in jail". Associated Press. May 15, 2013. A 2011 grand jury investigation into Gosnell's alleged prescription drug trafficking led to the gruesome findings about his abortion clinic. During an FBI raid, authorities found 47 aborted fetuses stored in clinic freezers, jars of tiny severed feet, bloodstained furniture and dirty medical instruments, along with cats roaming the premises.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Details was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Dennis, Brady (May 13, 2013). "Abortion doctor Kermit Gosnell convicted of murder in deaths of three infants". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 12, 2014.
  4. ^ "Doctor Kermit Gosnell found guilty of murdering infants in late-term abortions". Fox News. May 13, 2013. Retrieved May 12, 2014.
  5. ^ Francis, Enjoli (May 13, 2013). "Abortion Doctor Kermit Gosnell Guilty of First Degree Murder". ABC News. Retrieved May 12, 2014.
  6. ^ Goodwin, Liz (May 13, 2013). "Kermit Gosnell guilty of murder in 3 infants' deaths". Yahoo News. Retrieved May 12, 2014.
  7. ^ Lattanzio, Vince (July 8, 2013). "Abortion Doctor Gosnell Found Guilty of Killing 3 Babies Born Alive". NBC Philadelphia. Retrieved May 12, 2014.
  8. ^ Williams 2011, p. 5.
  9. ^ "'House of horrors' alleged at abortion clinic". NBC News. January 19, 2011. Retrieved February 10, 2024.
  10. ^ "The Point of Gosnell | Charlotte Allen". First Things. November 5, 2018. Retrieved February 10, 2024.
  11. ^ "Unlicensed doctor pleads in Philly abortion case | 6abc.com". December 2, 2013. Archived from the original on December 2, 2013. Retrieved February 10, 2024.
  12. ^ "'House of horrors' alleged at abortion clinic". NBC News. January 19, 2011.
  13. ^ Williams 2011, p. 225.
  14. ^ Glover • •, Sarah (July 19, 2013). "Fate of 47 Gosnell Fetuses Decided". NBC10 Philadelphia. Retrieved February 10, 2024.
  15. ^ Bailey, Sarah Pulliam. "Philadelphia plans to cremate, bury 47 Gosnell bodies". USA TODAY. Retrieved February 10, 2024.
  16. ^ "How the DEA Finally Caught Kermit Gosnell". TheAtlantic.com. April 22, 2013. Retrieved May 19, 2013.
  17. ^ Hoye, Sarah (May 29, 2013). "Wife of convicted Pennsylvania abortion doctor gets jail time". CNN. Warner Media Group. Retrieved October 15, 2021.
  18. ^ Hoye, Sarah (May 15, 2013). "Abortion doctor convicted of murder waives appeal, avoids death sentence". CNN. Retrieved May 16, 2013.
  19. ^ Hurdle, Jon (May 13, 2013). "Philadelphia Abortion Doctor Guilty of Murder in Late-Term Procedures". The New York Times. Retrieved May 13, 2014.
  20. ^ "Philadelphia Doctor Sentenced To 30 Years For Running Pill Mill". www.justice.gov. December 15, 2014. Retrieved March 1, 2022.