The White House is catching flak for hosting a screening of the movie “Gosnell: The Trial of America’s Biggest Serial Killer,” that enjoyed a top-10 opening in the fall and features “Superman” actor Dean Cain. It’s a courtroom drama in the genre of “Law and Order” depicting the true story of Kermit Gosnell, who was convicted of murdering babies born alive during abortion procedures and on one manslaughter charge for his lethal mistreatment of one woman during an abortion procedure. The movie carefully avoids showing the viewer graphic or gory visuals, but rather, it focuses meticulously on the grand jury report and actual court transcripts.
Most people of goodwill seem to agree that Gosnell belongs behind bars. Yet, laws are being debated in state legislatures around the country and in Congress that would protect a future Gosnell from being prosecuted.
If his trial had taken place in New York in 2019, for example, rather than in Pennsylvania in 2013, the outcome would have been different. The abortion lobby is successfully legalizing many of the horrors Gosnell perpetrated against innocent babies.
Gosnell was convicted in Pennsylvania on three counts of murder for killing infants born alive during an abortion. Yet, these convictions would be unlikely under New York’s newly minted abortion law. New York’s law is called the “Reproductive Health Act,” but it might just as well be called the “Gosnell Acquittal Act.” The new law specifically repeals Section 4164 of its public health law requiring protection of a baby accidentally born alive in an abortion procedure. Gosnell would be off the hook for murdering babies.
The movie accurately depicts the trial testimony of a late-term specialist who admits on the stand that if a baby is born alive, standard practice is to make the baby comfortable and to let it die (although she says this has never happened in her practice). Her testimony sounds shockingly similar to the infamous comments made by Gov. Ralph Northam, D-Va., when his state was debating a similar Gosnell acquittal bill: Keep the baby comfortable while deciding whether to let it die. Moreover, congressional Democrats continue to oppose the federal Born Alive Abortion Survivors bill that would require abortion survivors, born and outside the womb, to be protected and given medical care.
Gosnell was also convicted on multiple counts of violating Pennsylvania’s ban on abortion past 24 weeks of pregnancy. Yet New York’s new law allows legal abortion until birth by adding a “health” exception, which is defined to mean anything related to the woman’s well-being, age, family situation, mental health, etc. Again, Gosnell would be acquitted, if even charged, in New York on the late-term abortion charge.
Gosnell and several associates were also convicted on charges related to nonlicensed assistants performing surgical abortions. The abortion lobby continuously fights better health and safety oversight when it comes to their clinics, and in New York, it successfully repealed a requirement that only licensed physicians perform abortions. Nondoctors are now allowed to perform abortions in New York.
Courtroom dramas concerning murder and manslaughter should serve as reminder to prevent mistakes of the past. Sadly, many political leaders today are devoted to the widespread legalization of these horrific practices. It seems the screening is timely.
Maureen Ferguson is a contributor to the Washington Examiner’s Beltway Confidential blog. She is a senior fellow for The Catholic Association.
