Black also blasted President Barack Obama for not speaking out against the “house of horrors” abortion clinic run by Gosnell, who would sever the spinal cords of babies with scissors after they had survived late-term abortion procedures.
“Mr. Speaker, I stand here today outraged and deeply saddened by the heartbreaking story of the abortion Doctor Kermit Gosnell,” said Black. “This is the man currently on trial for the murder of eight people, seven of which were newborns who were killed after surviving late-term botched abortions in his house of horrors clinic.”
Gosnell, 72, is currently on trial for the murder of four babies born alive and a mother, who overdosed at his clinic the Women’s Medical Society in West Philadelphia. Gosnell was originally charged with seven counts of first-degree murder, but Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Judge Jeffrey P. Minehart dropped three of the charges on Wednesday, apparently concluding that the prosecution did not present enough evidence that the babies in those cases were “not viable,” or born alive.
Gosnell is also facing charges of infanticide, conspiracy, abortion at 24 or more weeks, theft, corruption of minors, solicitation and other related offenses. The six-week long trial is set to conclude on Monday, with closing arguments after Gosnell’s defense rested on Wednesday, without offering any witnesses. Gosnell did not take the stand.
Rep. Black also condemned President Obama for not speaking out against Gosnell who, according to the grand jury in the case, had killed “hundreds” of babies over the years by snipping their spinal cords.
“When asked about Gosnell’s crime, our president tells us he has no comment,” Black said. “Where is your outrage, Mr. President?”
“Are you too busy preparing your remarks for tomorrow night’s Planned Parenthood fundraising gala?” she said. “My heart breaks that our country has reached a point by where we are all not outraged by a practice that ends a beating heart and takes the lives of the most vulnerable in our society.”