Kermit Gosnell
Kermit Barron Gosnell (born February 9, 1941) is an American former physician, abortionist, and serial killer. 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. Staff at Gosnell's clinic testified that there were hundreds of infants born alive during abortion procedures, and subsequently killed by Gosnell.
Kermit Gosnell | |
|---|---|
Gosnell's booking photo in 2011 | |
| Born | Kermit Barron Gosnell February 9, 1941 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Criminal status | Incarcerated |
| Spouse | Pearl Gosnell |
| Children | 6 |
| 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 penalty | Federal 30 years imprisonment Pennsylvania Three consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole |
| Details | |
| Victims | 48+ |
Span of crimes | 2006–2010 |
| Country | United States |
| State(s) | Pennsylvania |
Date apprehended | January 19, 2011 |
| Imprisoned at | SCI Huntingdon |
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. 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. 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. Pearl and the eight employees pleaded guilty to various charges in 2011, whilst Gosnell pleaded not guilty and sought a jury trial.
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. Gosnell was sentenced to an additional 30 years in prison for federal drug charges. Gosnell is currently incarcerated at SCI Huntingdon.