Pro-Choice Violence in Alabama
A report by Dr. Brian Clowes, Director of Research and Training at Human Life International, for the website www.prochoiceviolence.com.
Content
“Pro-Choice” Violence and Illegal Activities in Alabama
Birmingham Florence Huntsville Mobile Montgomery Birmingham, Alabama
Rape (9 incidents) and Forced Abortions (9 incidents) Sixteen-year-old Alana Williams was sentenced to Alabama's only juvenile detention facility for girls in Chalkville. She said that she had sex with a guard because it was an easy way for girls to get preferential treatment and goodies like Cokes, in addition to breaking the monotony. A lawsuit filed by Williams and eight other girls claims that the girls were raped, beaten and pressured to have abortions after being impregnated by guards. The lawsuit contended that male guards watched girls take showers and conducted strip-searches. Attorneys who filed the lawsuit say adult women held at Chalkville as teen-agers have contacted them alleging the same types of treatment as long as two decades ago. "It's terrible. It's hard for me to fathom," said state Rep. Mac Gipson, a Republican who serves on the Youth Services board. Gov. Don Siegelman has asked state Attorney General Bill Pryor to investigate, and local authorities may pursue criminal charges. Judges have removed at least 15 girls from the facility. Youth Services spokesman Allen Peaton said at least three dozen girls made allegations ranging from inappropriate comments by guards to oral sex between girls and employees. Reference: Jay Reeves, Associated Press. Lawsuit." APBnews.com. June 18, 2001. "Sex Scandal at State Girls Prison Results in Firings,
Assault (4 incidents), Contempt of Court, Death Threat and Income Tax Evasion According to a former employee of his abortion mill "New Woman Health Care," abortionist Bruce
Alabama - Page 1 -
Lucero asked for a baseball bat, then got a tire iron and went outside and assaulted a pro-lifer, hitting him in the back and arm. While on trial for the assault, he was escorted to the judge's chambers by two police officers and convicted of contempt for continuing to talk during the trial after the judge instructed him to be silent. He was given a suspended sentence and was fined. A security specialist testified that Lucero told security guards that he wanted the pro-lifers "hurt," and that just prior to his testifying, the security specialist received a phone call threatening his family. On another occasion, Lucero slammed a man into a post while the man was talking to a patient about to enter the building; the man was treated by paramedics at the scene. On another occasion, a security guard for the abortion mill threw pro-lifer Julian Harper to the ground and repeatedly beat his head on the pavement, bloodying his face, after Julian tried to write down the license number of another security guard's car. When a woman pro-lifer asked the guard to desist in the assault, he grabbed her by the ankle and jerked her off her feet, then held her down and attempted to beat her face on the pavement, kneeling on her back and holding her down. Julian was treated by paramedics and at University Hospital. Julian described the assaults by the security guards; A number of years ago, in the late 1980s, an abortionist named Bruce Lucero had a mill on the south side of Birmingham, Alabama, and for years, every Saturday a handful of peaceful prayer-warriors, sidewalk counselors and pickets would show up at his "New Woman's" clinic, and also at the nearby Birmingham Women's Clinic and the Summit Women's Center. On one Saturday morning, I was on my way to picket the Birmingham Women's Clinic and stopped by at Lucero's mill to greet about four of my friends who were there on the sidewalks. There were three people in 'security guard' uniforms wandering in front of the abortion mill; a black man who was very polite, a 260 pound white thug named Jeff Ingram, and a woman who ― I believe ― was Ingram's wife. They were employees of a rent-a-thug place called TASP Security Forces. Since the man and woman had been physically aggressive to our sidewalk counselors and refused to identify themselves or their employer, I simply walked out into the public parking lot (the mill was located in a 'strip mall' of businesses, so there were no restrictions on entering the parking lot) to get the license tag numbers off their vehicles. I had intended to get a friend who worked for the police department to find who the owners were in order to contact their supervisor and protest their physical aggression. As I turned to go back onto the sidewalk, the large thug, Ingram, grabbed me from behind, threw his body weight down on me and began repeatedly slamming my face and head into the pavement (I should add that I am about 5'6" and weighed at that time, all of 140 pounds). I was unconscious for a few moments, woke up to see my broken glasses laying near me, a large pool of blood which I did not even know was my own, at that point, and felt the guy still on my back. At this point, another counselor named Kathy ― who was a frail lady of about 80 pounds ― came out to ask him to get off of me. He grabbed her arm and threw her to the ground also, at which point the female thug came out to 'guard' Kathy. Within minutes of the attack, the police arrived, the abortionist was standing in his doorway screaming that he wanted us arrested (to which the senior police officer, Jake Bailey, responded that if Lucero didn't shut up and get back inside, that he ― officer Bailey ― would personally arrest Lucero!) and a moment alter a paramedic fire and rescue vehicle arrived. They were unable to stop the bleeding from my head and I had to go to University Hospital to get seven stitches over the left eye; my jaw had also been dislocated and I suffered some damage to the back which has continued to cause various problems over the years. I did swear out an arrest warrant for Ingram, and the
Alabama - Page 2 -
court did find him guilty of assault. They fined him ― if memory serves ― a total of 100 dollars for his attacks on myself and Kathy. So ― if you ever want to ambush someone and beat them badly enough to require medical assistance here in Alabama, it will only cost you about fifty bucks per head! That's justice in these parts! The abortionist was also assessed for unpaid federal taxes of $11,725.25 on May 12, 1990, and was sued by the Colorado Student Obligation Bond Authority for an unpaid debt of $7,846.42. Lucero also hosted a local radio talk show. He told a caller his solution to the abortion debate: "What we're going to do is set two little boxes in our income-tax statement. If you believe in pro-choice, you pay only $300 in taxes so that you pay for a woman to have an abortion. And if you're opposed to abortion, you check the other little box and you pay $3,000 to raise an illegitimate child." References: Post-Herald, November 14, 1990; "Abortionists: What Kind of People Are They?" Abortion Injury Report [American Rights Coalition], August 1991, page 2; "Picketer Denied Access, Beaten By Guard." Abortion Injury Report [American Rights Coalition], August 1991, page 2; Birmingham News, March 21, 1991, June 9, 1991, July 3, 1991, and February 22, 1992; and Jefferson County Circuit Court Case Nos. CV909466 and VC9304474. Assault, Transmission of a Threat, Negligence (16 incidents) and Malpractice (37 incidents) Abortionist Tommy E. Swate ran several methadone clinics that were forcibly closed due to allegations of violation of state and federal methadone laws. These included failure to properly document addiction before administering methadone, failure to restrict patients who test positive for illicit drugs or negative for methadone, inadequate oversight of patient's doses, allowing patients to pick up doses for other patients, and allowing an undercover agent to obtain methadone. He also abandoned methadone patient files in his house. At least three of his clients died of apparent methadone-related deaths. He also assaulted a female investigator posing as a patient in order to serve a subpoena, and allegedly evaded previous subpoenas by outrunning the servers. He was banned from practicing at Humana Hospital after two doctors implicated him in injuring at least 23 abortion patients, and he allegedly threatened to assault one doctor who implicated him. Swate sued to try to regain his privileges with an injunction, but was denied. His license was suspended and he was placed on probation for five years in 1992 due to professional failure to practice medicine in an acceptable manner and repeated meritorious health-care liability claims, including pleading no contest to allegations of 14 botched abortions. His Texas and Louisiana licenses were put on probation. References: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, September 9, 1994; Hardin County News, October 7, 1992; Houston Post, March 10, 1991; Houston Chronicle, May 15, 1991, November 13, 1992, May 9, 1986, June 6, 1986, and July 1, 1986; Houston Post, June 6, 1986 and July 25, 1986; Pasadena Citizen, May 9, 1986 and August 14, 1987; United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals Case #83-2502; Harris County District Court Case #86-20421; Travis County Delinquent Tax Statement, tax year 1978, and Statement of Employer Account dated August 24, 1992; Texas Notice of Forfeiture of Corporate Privileges dated August 14, 1992. Malpractice (17 incidents), Practicing Medicine Without a License (6 incidents), and Falsification of Medical Records
Alabama - Page 3 -
Like many other high-volume abortion mills in the United States, the Summit Medical Center in Birmingham, Alabama, is first and foremost a moneymaking machine. Nothing else matters ― not the health or safety of women, and certainly not the law. These places routinely and consistently ignore the law in order to pile up more and more profits. In February 2006, a non-physician administered a sonogram to an abortion client at the abortuary in violation of Alabama state law. The clinic worker told the abortion client that she was only six weeks pregnant when, in reality, she was just a few weeks away from delivery. Then another non-physician, also in defiance of Alabama state law, gave her the RU-486 abortion pill, which is only supposed to be used to kill babies up to eight weeks gestation. The clinic workers then falsified the documents relating to this abortion client, showing that she was treated by a physician who was, in fact, not present that day. Six days later, the abortion client was rushed to a hospital emergency room, and delivered a dead 6 lb. 4 oz. baby. The Alabama State Health Department then launched an investigation of the abortion mill. Finally, after 24 years of killing tens of thousands of preborn children, the Alabama State Health Department shut down the Summit Medical Center abortion mill for good at about 11:00 AM on May 17, 2006. The order from the State Board of Health called the violations by Summit Medical Center "egregious," and the state health officer, Dr. Donald Williamson, said the clinic might not reopen. He said "We feel we need to move toward revoking their license." The investigation found "egregious lapses in care, including non-physicians performing abortions, severely underestimating the gestational age of a fetus, failure to appropriately refer or treat a patient with a dangerously elevated blood pressure, and performing an abortion on a late-term pregnancy." The day the abortion mill was finally closed, its security guard told a long-time sidewalk counselor "This will be very good news for you. The Health Department is closing this place down." The results of the investigation by the Alabama State Health Department were both very revealing and fascinating, because it showed the day-to-day operations of a classic legal abortion mill, whose only purpose is to make a ton of money. The Health Department suspended the medical license of abortionist Deborah Lyn Levich, charging her with aborting late-term babies without bothering to check for viability in violation of Alabama law, and falsifying medical records. The Health Department also suspended the nursing license of abortion nurse Janet F. Onthank King for performing medical abortions without a doctor having examined the patients or even being present. References: "Why Abortion Mills are Closing!" Christian Newswire, May 19, 2006; "Alabama Suspends Abortionist's License; AG Launches Investigation." Christian Newswire, May 20, 2006; Jay Reeves, Associated Press. "Abortion Clinic Closed." Montgomery Advertiser, May 30, 2006. Gross Negligence, Negligence (5 incidents), Malpractice (5 incidents), Practicing Medicine Without a License (7 incidents) and Unprofessional Conduct (32 incidents) Abortionist Thomas Walter Tucker II's botched abortion killed Angela Hall during a June 7, 1991 abortion at the Birmingham Women's Clinic abortion mill. One clinic employee testified that she determined Angela was "not a proper candidate for an elective termination in the office," and another employee testified that Tucker required her to assist in falsifying Angela's records. Tucker was warned by his staff not to proceed with the abortion because the patient's hemoglobin levels were too low. Tucker responded "You know we need the money. Just do it. Just put the patient through." When an abortion mill staff person saw the patient's condition worsen, she called for an ambulance. Court records indictate Tucker canceled the ambulance call, stating "he could not afford to send another patient to UAB [Hospital] because those doctors down there would hang him."
Alabama - Page 4 -
Finally, in 2001, an Alabama court rendered a ten million dollar judgment against Tucker in Hall's death. The court in its statements found it "difficult to imagine a case more appropriate for an award of punitive or exemplary damages." Medical authorities in the states of Alabama and Mississippi revoked Tucker's license to practice medicine. The abortionist scheduled up to 45 abortions a day. His license was restricted due to accusations of "gross malpractice or repeated malpractice or gross negligence in the practice of medicine." He told a reporter that his goal was $700,000 annual income, and spent thousands of dollars lobbying against abortion legislation. He was disciplined and placed under voluntary restriction for underestimating fetal age in one woman and perforating another woman's uterus. He also faced charges of unprofessional and unethical conduct in Alabama and Mississippi and criminal investigations in both states, prompted by the deaths of several patients. Allegations included allowing staff to perform abortions with no doctor present while he instructed them over the telephone; allowing unqualified staff to administer anesthesia and insert birth control devices; crushing a live infant's skull with forceps after it survived a late-term abortion (he was not charged for this killing); and overestimating fetal age to charge more for abortions. The Medical Licensure Commission stated that Tucker "showed reckless indifference" in the death of a patient during the removal of Norplant at Birmingham Women's Medical Center. The medical board found him guilty of 32 of 34 counts against him, including falsifying records, violating counseling laws, instructing unqualified personnel to perform doctor's duties, and he still faces potential criminal charges on deaths of patients. Amazingly, his attorney said that the suspension of Tucker's license was "a sad day for women's reproductive freedom in this state, in this region." The Director of Pro-Choice Mississippi was quoted as saying, "If Dr. Tucker loses his license, Mississippi women will lose their access to choice, so yes, it will be devastating." References: Tim Graham and Clay Waters. "Roe Warriors: The Media's Pro-Abortion Bias." Media Research Council report, July 22, 1998; Atlanta Journal-Constitution, May 16, 1993; Birmingham News, March 17, 1995; DeSoto Times, March 23, 1995; Hattiesburg American, April 30, 1994; Jackson Clarion-Ledger, March 18, 1994 and April 1, 1995; Memphis Commercial Appeal, April 16, 1994; Mobile Register, March 17, 1995; New York Times, April 23, 1994; and Jefferson County Circuit Court Cases #CV-87-3302, #CV-88-7175, #CV-89-9373, #CV-90-0616, #CV-91-3260, CV-92-06645 and #CV-93-632. Tucker was the subject of feature articles in USA Today (July 17, 1994), The New York Times (April 24, 1994) and Time Magazine (August 9, 1993). Violation of Civil Rights (9 incidents) and Destruction of Property “Pro-choice” people firmly believe that they are the only ones who have the right to educate the youth of this nation. If anyone else tries to do so, either formally or informally, they do their best to suppress and censor them. In February 2009, nine young pro-life activists belonging to the group Survivors of the Abortion Holocaust held signs and distributed literature on a public sidewalk outside a Birmingham, Alabama high school as the students were leaving at the end of the day. Police arrived and falsely informed the young pro-lifers that the public sidewalk was private property, and ordered them to retreat to the sidewalk across the street. When they refused, the police arrested all nine of the pro-lifers, including those who were only videotaping the interaction, confiscated their signs and video cameras, and towed their van, damaging it in the process. All nine spent 14 hours in jail, and all were charged with criminal trespass despite the fact that they were on a public sidewalk.
Alabama - Page 5 -
The City also alleged that the activists entered school property unlawfully, even after video evidence clearly showed that they did no such thing. On July 22, 2010, the City of Birmingham dismissed all criminal charges against the pro-lifers after losing a lawsuit filed by the Life Legal Defense Foundation. Dana Cody, Executive Director of LLDF, said that While we are elated that justice has finally come to the nine youth who were falsely arrested, these meritless charges should have been dismissed long ago. The City's delay in doing what justice demands has cost these young people employment opportunities and sullied their reputations for the past year and a half. Reference: Steven Ertelt. “Birmingham, Alabama Dismisses All Charges Against Pro-Life Protestors.” LifeNews.com, July 23, 2010.
Florence, Alabama
Manslaughter According to official police documents and media reports, the following events occurred in and around Florence, Alabama. This bizarre and tragic case demonstrates how schizophrenic the abortion laws are in the United States. A woman performed a third-trimester home abortion on her presumably unwanted preborn daughter and was charged with manslaughter. However, if she had gone to Warren Hern or George Tiller for a third-trimester abortion, there would have been no legal problems at all. But deprive the abortion industry of a couple of thousand bucks, and you are in deep, deep trouble. You are charged with manslaughter or even murder for doing what Hern, Tiller and others do for a living! Jennifer Darlene Johnson was seven months pregnant with a daughter and, on July 10, 2008, decided that she would perform a third-trimester home abortion on herself. So she broke her bag of waters and severed the umbilical cord, depriving her preborn child of nutrition, and she died soon after. She then went to Helen Keller Hospital in Sheffield and told doctors that her bag of waters had broken and that she was bleeding. They delivered her dead daughter and saw that she had aborted herself. Johnson was arrested and charged with manslaughter, and was held on $50,000 bond. Florence police Captain Ron Tyler said that She said her water broke sometime Friday morning and then she started experiencing pain and bleeding and was taken to Helen Keller Hospital Friday night. Investigators believe the evidence demonstrates that the death of the infant is directly related to the intentional severing of the umbilical cord. ... The answer is going to best be reserved for court as to what the motive was. When he learned what had happened, Johnson's boyfriend Jerry Pigg was brokenhearted. He had desperately wanted this child, but, since he was a man, he had absolutely no say in what had happened to her. He read to a reporter a portion of a letter he wrote to his dead daughter: I know you are in heaven with God, and you will see what life would have been like with me and your brother. But you are in the best hands there is and don't be sad; we will all
Alabama - Page 6 -
be together one day so just be good. Daddy and brother will be there soon and don't forget daddy will always love you regardless. Pigg said that None of this makes sense. I never would have thought something like this could have happened. I've talked with her family and they're like me ― just in shock. ... I finally was able to get in touch with her around the first of June. She told me she was pregnant, the child was mine and she wanted to know what I was going to do. I told her I was going to take care of the baby. ... We were both excited about having a baby, especially after we found out it was a girl. She wanted a girl as much as I did. The thing I want to know is why. Only she knows, and I know she knows what she did was wrong, or she wouldn't have been telling me she was sorry. This has been a very sobering experience. It makes you realize just how precious life is. Pigg also said that someone had taken pictures of his little daughter. He said that "She was so beautiful. She had brown hair with a red tint, just like my mother's. She looked like my mother." References: Steven Ertelt. "Alabama Woman Charged With Manslaughter for Killing Unborn Baby." LifeNewsy, July 16, 2008; Tom Smith. "Baby's Father Questions Death: Man Says He Went "From Sad to Mad"." The Times Daily [Florence, Alabama], July 17, 2008. Identity Theft (two counts) and Fraudulent Use of a Credit Card (three counts) James Rea Phyfer, 41, the Florence Conference Center's banquet manager, was arrested on January 6, 2003, after being accused of using credit card numbers of past customers to pay personal cable and telephone bills, and to pay for a 2002 abortion in Tuscaloosa. Phyfer was charged with two counts of identity theft and three counts of fraudulent use of a credit card, and was held in the Florence-Lauderdale Detention Center with bail set at $5,000. Police say the numbers were kept on file at the conference center and it appears Phyfer got the numbers and used them to pay his bills. Reference: Mike Goens. "Banquet Manager Charged with Theft." Florence [Alabama] Times Daily, January 7, 2003.
Huntsville, Alabama
For Informational Purposes Only This murder is only mentioned in this database for informational purposes. Since we do not know why Janezic murdered Jerry Simon, although she was "pro-choice" and he was pro-life, this murder should not be included in this database. In 1993, "pro-choice" activist Eileen Orstein Janezic murdered 51-year old pro-life activist minister and radio talk show host Jerry Simon. After killing Simon, she held police at bay with a pistol for six hours while spouting quotes from Anton LaVey's "Satanic Bible." On October 27, 1994, a jury found her guilty of murder and sentenced her to life in prison. During her trial, she admitted that she had shot
Alabama - Page 7 -
Simon to prove her love of Satan. Even though Janezic is not included in this database of "pro-choice" violence, we can be certain that, if a woman shouting verses out of a Christian Bible shot an abortionist through his living room window, that this would be trumpeted as a prime example of "anti-choice" violence. References: World Magazine, September 18, 1993; "Pro-Life Leader, Pastor Murdered by Avowed Satanist." Life Advocate, November 1993, page 7. Criminal Abortions (5 incidents) The Alabama Department of Public Health ordered abortionist Carl L. Palmer to stop performing abortions at his office, ruling that he didn't have a license to operate an abortion facility. The State Health Officer, Dr. Donald Williamson, said that Palmer violated state Board of Health rules when he advertised his Alabama Women's Center for Reproductive Alternatives in area telephone books. Doctors in Alabama can legally perform abortions at their medical offices, but if they advertise as an abortion facility, they must be licensed by the state health department. Palmer did not have the $200 license when he placed an ad in the Yellow Pages promising "Low Cost Early Pregnancy Abortions," officials said. The Rev. James Henderson, a pro-lifer from Morgan County, said he's been monitoring Palmer's abortion facility since he spotted the Yellow Pages ad. "We are pleased the Alabama Department of Health has shut down an illegal abortion clinic," Henderson said. "We believe that all abortion clinics in the state need to be shut down, starting with the illegal ones." In 1995, Palmer resigned as medical director of the Women's Community Health Center in Huntsville after health officials ruled he had been performing abortions without proper state certification. References: Huntsville Times [Alabama], April 29, 2000; "Alabama Man Can No Longer Perform Abortions." Pro-Life Infonet, May 3, 2000.
Mobile, Alabama
Gross Negligence and Malpractice On November 18, 1986, Karl and Doris Madden were preparing to leave their home to spend Thanksgiving with relatives. They received a call from their daughter Michelle's college roommate, saying that she was feeling sick. When they arrived at the dormitory, they were told that their daughter had been taken to a local hospital. When they arrived there, doctors told them that Michelle was in surgery. When the surgery was completed, a doctor told the parents that Michelle had had an abortion and was in very grave condition. She died soon after of complications incurred by an abortion performed by O.B. Evans. The Maddens sued and won a $10 million judgment from abortionist Evans and the Family Planning Medical Center abortion mill of Mobile, Alabama, thus ending a four-year long court battle. References: Renee Busby. "Parents Finally Get to Tell Daughter's Story: Couple Wins Lawsuit While Getting Answers to Teen's Abortion, Death." Mobile Press Register, June 16, 1991, page B1; "$10 Million in Abortion Death." The Abortion Injury Report [American Rights Coalition], May 1993, page 2.
Alabama - Page 8 -
Reckless Endangerment The director of the Center for Choice abortion mill, Patricia Mitchell, pointed a handgun at two pro-lifers as they drove away from the clinic after a picket. She was subsequently convicted of reckless endangerment. The Center for Choice closed in April 2007. Operation Rescue President Troy Newman said that Those who promote the killing of innocent babies in the womb were dealt another blow with the closing of this abortion clinic. Abortion mills are closing all over the nation, and new ones are not replacing them because of the dramatic success of pro-life efforts in recent years that have led to a decrease in demand for abortions. This is yet more evidence that we are winning the battle for the hearts and minds of Americans, and that the days of abortion in our nation are numbered.
Reference: "Mobile Abortion Clinic Director Convicted of Gun-Related Charge; Attorney Appeals Case." Gulf Coast Christian Newspaper, undated article.
Montgomery, Alabama
Violation of Health and Safety Standards (12 incidents) and Falsification of Records (4 incidents) The Beacons Women’s Center abortion mill, located in Montgomery, Alabama, was entirely typical of such abortion clinics all over the world. Its only purpose was to generate as much income as possible for its owners and abortionists, with little or no concern for patient safety or comfort. It had a very long history of health and safety violations that included shoddy record keeping, improper distribution of controlled substances without proper physician authorization, failure of nurses to administer the correct medication, failure to determine if patients had drug allergies, failure to adhere to the state ultrasound laws that mandate women be offered to view of their ultrasound images, use of expired medication and supplies, an administrator assisting with abortion surgeries, and use of unsterilized medical equipment, including speculums and dilators. Health inspectors also found that the abortion mill falsified lab tests, was improperly conducting urinary pregnancy tests, and reading results before prescribed time had expired. 60% of its staff did not even know how to properly conduct a pregnancy test. During the State’s inspections, the Department of Health found the following deficiencies, among many others. It is obvious that the abortionists and staff of the abortion mill simply did not bother to comply with laws they found burdensome or which they disagreed with; •
•
Medical equipment had not been inspected annually as required. Department surveyors were unable to conduct a controlled drug count during this visit because abortion clinic personnel had forgotten the key to the controlled drug cabinet. As a result, other personnel were unable to access the controlled drug cabinet, which contained the Valium and Versed used to sedate patients prior to having a surgical abortion.
Alabama - Page 9 -
• •
• • • •
The Center failed to have medications available for patient comfort prior to all 17 surgical abortions being performed on January 28, 2010. The Center failed to develop policies and procedures that are consistent with applicable state law related to parental consent for abortions performed on unemancipated minors and mandatory reporting of suspected abuse or neglect of a minor child. In addition, the Center failed to have current policies and procedures available to Center staff to provide safe and effective patient care. This had the potential to affect all patients that received services from the Center. The Center did not have a policy on mandatory reporting of sexual abuse, as required. The Center did not offer the majority of its abortion patients the opportunity to view an ultrasound before the abortion, as required, and were not offered the opportunity to view the video “Did You Know,” also as required. The majority of the Center’s abortion patients did not receive proper informed consent, as required. Based on observations, record reviews, and interviews, the Center's Governing Authority failed to ensure the Center was properly staffed to provide safe quality patient care. This had the potential to affect all patients served.
The abortion mill was finally placed on temporary probation in 2007, but continued to operate for three more years. It closed down permanently in June 2010 after offering a $100 discount on abortions if women would travel to one of its sister clinics in Atlanta. References: Steven Ertelt. “Abortion Facility in Alabama Placed on Probation for Violations Shutting Down.” LifeNews.com, June 11, 2010; Alabama Department of Public Health, Statement of Deficiencies and Plan of Correction for the Beacon Women’s Center, February 2, 2010.
― End of Alabama Listing ―
(updated May 30, 2011)
Alabama - Page 10 -
Birmingham Florence Huntsville Mobile Montgomery Birmingham, Alabama
Rape (9 incidents) and Forced Abortions (9 incidents) Sixteen-year-old Alana Williams was sentenced to Alabama's only juvenile detention facility for girls in Chalkville. She said that she had sex with a guard because it was an easy way for girls to get preferential treatment and goodies like Cokes, in addition to breaking the monotony. A lawsuit filed by Williams and eight other girls claims that the girls were raped, beaten and pressured to have abortions after being impregnated by guards. The lawsuit contended that male guards watched girls take showers and conducted strip-searches. Attorneys who filed the lawsuit say adult women held at Chalkville as teen-agers have contacted them alleging the same types of treatment as long as two decades ago. "It's terrible. It's hard for me to fathom," said state Rep. Mac Gipson, a Republican who serves on the Youth Services board. Gov. Don Siegelman has asked state Attorney General Bill Pryor to investigate, and local authorities may pursue criminal charges. Judges have removed at least 15 girls from the facility. Youth Services spokesman Allen Peaton said at least three dozen girls made allegations ranging from inappropriate comments by guards to oral sex between girls and employees. Reference: Jay Reeves, Associated Press. Lawsuit." APBnews.com. June 18, 2001. "Sex Scandal at State Girls Prison Results in Firings,
Assault (4 incidents), Contempt of Court, Death Threat and Income Tax Evasion According to a former employee of his abortion mill "New Woman Health Care," abortionist Bruce
Alabama - Page 1 -
Lucero asked for a baseball bat, then got a tire iron and went outside and assaulted a pro-lifer, hitting him in the back and arm. While on trial for the assault, he was escorted to the judge's chambers by two police officers and convicted of contempt for continuing to talk during the trial after the judge instructed him to be silent. He was given a suspended sentence and was fined. A security specialist testified that Lucero told security guards that he wanted the pro-lifers "hurt," and that just prior to his testifying, the security specialist received a phone call threatening his family. On another occasion, Lucero slammed a man into a post while the man was talking to a patient about to enter the building; the man was treated by paramedics at the scene. On another occasion, a security guard for the abortion mill threw pro-lifer Julian Harper to the ground and repeatedly beat his head on the pavement, bloodying his face, after Julian tried to write down the license number of another security guard's car. When a woman pro-lifer asked the guard to desist in the assault, he grabbed her by the ankle and jerked her off her feet, then held her down and attempted to beat her face on the pavement, kneeling on her back and holding her down. Julian was treated by paramedics and at University Hospital. Julian described the assaults by the security guards; A number of years ago, in the late 1980s, an abortionist named Bruce Lucero had a mill on the south side of Birmingham, Alabama, and for years, every Saturday a handful of peaceful prayer-warriors, sidewalk counselors and pickets would show up at his "New Woman's" clinic, and also at the nearby Birmingham Women's Clinic and the Summit Women's Center. On one Saturday morning, I was on my way to picket the Birmingham Women's Clinic and stopped by at Lucero's mill to greet about four of my friends who were there on the sidewalks. There were three people in 'security guard' uniforms wandering in front of the abortion mill; a black man who was very polite, a 260 pound white thug named Jeff Ingram, and a woman who ― I believe ― was Ingram's wife. They were employees of a rent-a-thug place called TASP Security Forces. Since the man and woman had been physically aggressive to our sidewalk counselors and refused to identify themselves or their employer, I simply walked out into the public parking lot (the mill was located in a 'strip mall' of businesses, so there were no restrictions on entering the parking lot) to get the license tag numbers off their vehicles. I had intended to get a friend who worked for the police department to find who the owners were in order to contact their supervisor and protest their physical aggression. As I turned to go back onto the sidewalk, the large thug, Ingram, grabbed me from behind, threw his body weight down on me and began repeatedly slamming my face and head into the pavement (I should add that I am about 5'6" and weighed at that time, all of 140 pounds). I was unconscious for a few moments, woke up to see my broken glasses laying near me, a large pool of blood which I did not even know was my own, at that point, and felt the guy still on my back. At this point, another counselor named Kathy ― who was a frail lady of about 80 pounds ― came out to ask him to get off of me. He grabbed her arm and threw her to the ground also, at which point the female thug came out to 'guard' Kathy. Within minutes of the attack, the police arrived, the abortionist was standing in his doorway screaming that he wanted us arrested (to which the senior police officer, Jake Bailey, responded that if Lucero didn't shut up and get back inside, that he ― officer Bailey ― would personally arrest Lucero!) and a moment alter a paramedic fire and rescue vehicle arrived. They were unable to stop the bleeding from my head and I had to go to University Hospital to get seven stitches over the left eye; my jaw had also been dislocated and I suffered some damage to the back which has continued to cause various problems over the years. I did swear out an arrest warrant for Ingram, and the
Alabama - Page 2 -
court did find him guilty of assault. They fined him ― if memory serves ― a total of 100 dollars for his attacks on myself and Kathy. So ― if you ever want to ambush someone and beat them badly enough to require medical assistance here in Alabama, it will only cost you about fifty bucks per head! That's justice in these parts! The abortionist was also assessed for unpaid federal taxes of $11,725.25 on May 12, 1990, and was sued by the Colorado Student Obligation Bond Authority for an unpaid debt of $7,846.42. Lucero also hosted a local radio talk show. He told a caller his solution to the abortion debate: "What we're going to do is set two little boxes in our income-tax statement. If you believe in pro-choice, you pay only $300 in taxes so that you pay for a woman to have an abortion. And if you're opposed to abortion, you check the other little box and you pay $3,000 to raise an illegitimate child." References: Post-Herald, November 14, 1990; "Abortionists: What Kind of People Are They?" Abortion Injury Report [American Rights Coalition], August 1991, page 2; "Picketer Denied Access, Beaten By Guard." Abortion Injury Report [American Rights Coalition], August 1991, page 2; Birmingham News, March 21, 1991, June 9, 1991, July 3, 1991, and February 22, 1992; and Jefferson County Circuit Court Case Nos. CV909466 and VC9304474. Assault, Transmission of a Threat, Negligence (16 incidents) and Malpractice (37 incidents) Abortionist Tommy E. Swate ran several methadone clinics that were forcibly closed due to allegations of violation of state and federal methadone laws. These included failure to properly document addiction before administering methadone, failure to restrict patients who test positive for illicit drugs or negative for methadone, inadequate oversight of patient's doses, allowing patients to pick up doses for other patients, and allowing an undercover agent to obtain methadone. He also abandoned methadone patient files in his house. At least three of his clients died of apparent methadone-related deaths. He also assaulted a female investigator posing as a patient in order to serve a subpoena, and allegedly evaded previous subpoenas by outrunning the servers. He was banned from practicing at Humana Hospital after two doctors implicated him in injuring at least 23 abortion patients, and he allegedly threatened to assault one doctor who implicated him. Swate sued to try to regain his privileges with an injunction, but was denied. His license was suspended and he was placed on probation for five years in 1992 due to professional failure to practice medicine in an acceptable manner and repeated meritorious health-care liability claims, including pleading no contest to allegations of 14 botched abortions. His Texas and Louisiana licenses were put on probation. References: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, September 9, 1994; Hardin County News, October 7, 1992; Houston Post, March 10, 1991; Houston Chronicle, May 15, 1991, November 13, 1992, May 9, 1986, June 6, 1986, and July 1, 1986; Houston Post, June 6, 1986 and July 25, 1986; Pasadena Citizen, May 9, 1986 and August 14, 1987; United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals Case #83-2502; Harris County District Court Case #86-20421; Travis County Delinquent Tax Statement, tax year 1978, and Statement of Employer Account dated August 24, 1992; Texas Notice of Forfeiture of Corporate Privileges dated August 14, 1992. Malpractice (17 incidents), Practicing Medicine Without a License (6 incidents), and Falsification of Medical Records
Alabama - Page 3 -
Like many other high-volume abortion mills in the United States, the Summit Medical Center in Birmingham, Alabama, is first and foremost a moneymaking machine. Nothing else matters ― not the health or safety of women, and certainly not the law. These places routinely and consistently ignore the law in order to pile up more and more profits. In February 2006, a non-physician administered a sonogram to an abortion client at the abortuary in violation of Alabama state law. The clinic worker told the abortion client that she was only six weeks pregnant when, in reality, she was just a few weeks away from delivery. Then another non-physician, also in defiance of Alabama state law, gave her the RU-486 abortion pill, which is only supposed to be used to kill babies up to eight weeks gestation. The clinic workers then falsified the documents relating to this abortion client, showing that she was treated by a physician who was, in fact, not present that day. Six days later, the abortion client was rushed to a hospital emergency room, and delivered a dead 6 lb. 4 oz. baby. The Alabama State Health Department then launched an investigation of the abortion mill. Finally, after 24 years of killing tens of thousands of preborn children, the Alabama State Health Department shut down the Summit Medical Center abortion mill for good at about 11:00 AM on May 17, 2006. The order from the State Board of Health called the violations by Summit Medical Center "egregious," and the state health officer, Dr. Donald Williamson, said the clinic might not reopen. He said "We feel we need to move toward revoking their license." The investigation found "egregious lapses in care, including non-physicians performing abortions, severely underestimating the gestational age of a fetus, failure to appropriately refer or treat a patient with a dangerously elevated blood pressure, and performing an abortion on a late-term pregnancy." The day the abortion mill was finally closed, its security guard told a long-time sidewalk counselor "This will be very good news for you. The Health Department is closing this place down." The results of the investigation by the Alabama State Health Department were both very revealing and fascinating, because it showed the day-to-day operations of a classic legal abortion mill, whose only purpose is to make a ton of money. The Health Department suspended the medical license of abortionist Deborah Lyn Levich, charging her with aborting late-term babies without bothering to check for viability in violation of Alabama law, and falsifying medical records. The Health Department also suspended the nursing license of abortion nurse Janet F. Onthank King for performing medical abortions without a doctor having examined the patients or even being present. References: "Why Abortion Mills are Closing!" Christian Newswire, May 19, 2006; "Alabama Suspends Abortionist's License; AG Launches Investigation." Christian Newswire, May 20, 2006; Jay Reeves, Associated Press. "Abortion Clinic Closed." Montgomery Advertiser, May 30, 2006. Gross Negligence, Negligence (5 incidents), Malpractice (5 incidents), Practicing Medicine Without a License (7 incidents) and Unprofessional Conduct (32 incidents) Abortionist Thomas Walter Tucker II's botched abortion killed Angela Hall during a June 7, 1991 abortion at the Birmingham Women's Clinic abortion mill. One clinic employee testified that she determined Angela was "not a proper candidate for an elective termination in the office," and another employee testified that Tucker required her to assist in falsifying Angela's records. Tucker was warned by his staff not to proceed with the abortion because the patient's hemoglobin levels were too low. Tucker responded "You know we need the money. Just do it. Just put the patient through." When an abortion mill staff person saw the patient's condition worsen, she called for an ambulance. Court records indictate Tucker canceled the ambulance call, stating "he could not afford to send another patient to UAB [Hospital] because those doctors down there would hang him."
Alabama - Page 4 -
Finally, in 2001, an Alabama court rendered a ten million dollar judgment against Tucker in Hall's death. The court in its statements found it "difficult to imagine a case more appropriate for an award of punitive or exemplary damages." Medical authorities in the states of Alabama and Mississippi revoked Tucker's license to practice medicine. The abortionist scheduled up to 45 abortions a day. His license was restricted due to accusations of "gross malpractice or repeated malpractice or gross negligence in the practice of medicine." He told a reporter that his goal was $700,000 annual income, and spent thousands of dollars lobbying against abortion legislation. He was disciplined and placed under voluntary restriction for underestimating fetal age in one woman and perforating another woman's uterus. He also faced charges of unprofessional and unethical conduct in Alabama and Mississippi and criminal investigations in both states, prompted by the deaths of several patients. Allegations included allowing staff to perform abortions with no doctor present while he instructed them over the telephone; allowing unqualified staff to administer anesthesia and insert birth control devices; crushing a live infant's skull with forceps after it survived a late-term abortion (he was not charged for this killing); and overestimating fetal age to charge more for abortions. The Medical Licensure Commission stated that Tucker "showed reckless indifference" in the death of a patient during the removal of Norplant at Birmingham Women's Medical Center. The medical board found him guilty of 32 of 34 counts against him, including falsifying records, violating counseling laws, instructing unqualified personnel to perform doctor's duties, and he still faces potential criminal charges on deaths of patients. Amazingly, his attorney said that the suspension of Tucker's license was "a sad day for women's reproductive freedom in this state, in this region." The Director of Pro-Choice Mississippi was quoted as saying, "If Dr. Tucker loses his license, Mississippi women will lose their access to choice, so yes, it will be devastating." References: Tim Graham and Clay Waters. "Roe Warriors: The Media's Pro-Abortion Bias." Media Research Council report, July 22, 1998; Atlanta Journal-Constitution, May 16, 1993; Birmingham News, March 17, 1995; DeSoto Times, March 23, 1995; Hattiesburg American, April 30, 1994; Jackson Clarion-Ledger, March 18, 1994 and April 1, 1995; Memphis Commercial Appeal, April 16, 1994; Mobile Register, March 17, 1995; New York Times, April 23, 1994; and Jefferson County Circuit Court Cases #CV-87-3302, #CV-88-7175, #CV-89-9373, #CV-90-0616, #CV-91-3260, CV-92-06645 and #CV-93-632. Tucker was the subject of feature articles in USA Today (July 17, 1994), The New York Times (April 24, 1994) and Time Magazine (August 9, 1993). Violation of Civil Rights (9 incidents) and Destruction of Property “Pro-choice” people firmly believe that they are the only ones who have the right to educate the youth of this nation. If anyone else tries to do so, either formally or informally, they do their best to suppress and censor them. In February 2009, nine young pro-life activists belonging to the group Survivors of the Abortion Holocaust held signs and distributed literature on a public sidewalk outside a Birmingham, Alabama high school as the students were leaving at the end of the day. Police arrived and falsely informed the young pro-lifers that the public sidewalk was private property, and ordered them to retreat to the sidewalk across the street. When they refused, the police arrested all nine of the pro-lifers, including those who were only videotaping the interaction, confiscated their signs and video cameras, and towed their van, damaging it in the process. All nine spent 14 hours in jail, and all were charged with criminal trespass despite the fact that they were on a public sidewalk.
Alabama - Page 5 -
The City also alleged that the activists entered school property unlawfully, even after video evidence clearly showed that they did no such thing. On July 22, 2010, the City of Birmingham dismissed all criminal charges against the pro-lifers after losing a lawsuit filed by the Life Legal Defense Foundation. Dana Cody, Executive Director of LLDF, said that While we are elated that justice has finally come to the nine youth who were falsely arrested, these meritless charges should have been dismissed long ago. The City's delay in doing what justice demands has cost these young people employment opportunities and sullied their reputations for the past year and a half. Reference: Steven Ertelt. “Birmingham, Alabama Dismisses All Charges Against Pro-Life Protestors.” LifeNews.com, July 23, 2010.
Florence, Alabama
Manslaughter According to official police documents and media reports, the following events occurred in and around Florence, Alabama. This bizarre and tragic case demonstrates how schizophrenic the abortion laws are in the United States. A woman performed a third-trimester home abortion on her presumably unwanted preborn daughter and was charged with manslaughter. However, if she had gone to Warren Hern or George Tiller for a third-trimester abortion, there would have been no legal problems at all. But deprive the abortion industry of a couple of thousand bucks, and you are in deep, deep trouble. You are charged with manslaughter or even murder for doing what Hern, Tiller and others do for a living! Jennifer Darlene Johnson was seven months pregnant with a daughter and, on July 10, 2008, decided that she would perform a third-trimester home abortion on herself. So she broke her bag of waters and severed the umbilical cord, depriving her preborn child of nutrition, and she died soon after. She then went to Helen Keller Hospital in Sheffield and told doctors that her bag of waters had broken and that she was bleeding. They delivered her dead daughter and saw that she had aborted herself. Johnson was arrested and charged with manslaughter, and was held on $50,000 bond. Florence police Captain Ron Tyler said that She said her water broke sometime Friday morning and then she started experiencing pain and bleeding and was taken to Helen Keller Hospital Friday night. Investigators believe the evidence demonstrates that the death of the infant is directly related to the intentional severing of the umbilical cord. ... The answer is going to best be reserved for court as to what the motive was. When he learned what had happened, Johnson's boyfriend Jerry Pigg was brokenhearted. He had desperately wanted this child, but, since he was a man, he had absolutely no say in what had happened to her. He read to a reporter a portion of a letter he wrote to his dead daughter: I know you are in heaven with God, and you will see what life would have been like with me and your brother. But you are in the best hands there is and don't be sad; we will all
Alabama - Page 6 -
be together one day so just be good. Daddy and brother will be there soon and don't forget daddy will always love you regardless. Pigg said that None of this makes sense. I never would have thought something like this could have happened. I've talked with her family and they're like me ― just in shock. ... I finally was able to get in touch with her around the first of June. She told me she was pregnant, the child was mine and she wanted to know what I was going to do. I told her I was going to take care of the baby. ... We were both excited about having a baby, especially after we found out it was a girl. She wanted a girl as much as I did. The thing I want to know is why. Only she knows, and I know she knows what she did was wrong, or she wouldn't have been telling me she was sorry. This has been a very sobering experience. It makes you realize just how precious life is. Pigg also said that someone had taken pictures of his little daughter. He said that "She was so beautiful. She had brown hair with a red tint, just like my mother's. She looked like my mother." References: Steven Ertelt. "Alabama Woman Charged With Manslaughter for Killing Unborn Baby." LifeNewsy, July 16, 2008; Tom Smith. "Baby's Father Questions Death: Man Says He Went "From Sad to Mad"." The Times Daily [Florence, Alabama], July 17, 2008. Identity Theft (two counts) and Fraudulent Use of a Credit Card (three counts) James Rea Phyfer, 41, the Florence Conference Center's banquet manager, was arrested on January 6, 2003, after being accused of using credit card numbers of past customers to pay personal cable and telephone bills, and to pay for a 2002 abortion in Tuscaloosa. Phyfer was charged with two counts of identity theft and three counts of fraudulent use of a credit card, and was held in the Florence-Lauderdale Detention Center with bail set at $5,000. Police say the numbers were kept on file at the conference center and it appears Phyfer got the numbers and used them to pay his bills. Reference: Mike Goens. "Banquet Manager Charged with Theft." Florence [Alabama] Times Daily, January 7, 2003.
Huntsville, Alabama
For Informational Purposes Only This murder is only mentioned in this database for informational purposes. Since we do not know why Janezic murdered Jerry Simon, although she was "pro-choice" and he was pro-life, this murder should not be included in this database. In 1993, "pro-choice" activist Eileen Orstein Janezic murdered 51-year old pro-life activist minister and radio talk show host Jerry Simon. After killing Simon, she held police at bay with a pistol for six hours while spouting quotes from Anton LaVey's "Satanic Bible." On October 27, 1994, a jury found her guilty of murder and sentenced her to life in prison. During her trial, she admitted that she had shot
Alabama - Page 7 -
Simon to prove her love of Satan. Even though Janezic is not included in this database of "pro-choice" violence, we can be certain that, if a woman shouting verses out of a Christian Bible shot an abortionist through his living room window, that this would be trumpeted as a prime example of "anti-choice" violence. References: World Magazine, September 18, 1993; "Pro-Life Leader, Pastor Murdered by Avowed Satanist." Life Advocate, November 1993, page 7. Criminal Abortions (5 incidents) The Alabama Department of Public Health ordered abortionist Carl L. Palmer to stop performing abortions at his office, ruling that he didn't have a license to operate an abortion facility. The State Health Officer, Dr. Donald Williamson, said that Palmer violated state Board of Health rules when he advertised his Alabama Women's Center for Reproductive Alternatives in area telephone books. Doctors in Alabama can legally perform abortions at their medical offices, but if they advertise as an abortion facility, they must be licensed by the state health department. Palmer did not have the $200 license when he placed an ad in the Yellow Pages promising "Low Cost Early Pregnancy Abortions," officials said. The Rev. James Henderson, a pro-lifer from Morgan County, said he's been monitoring Palmer's abortion facility since he spotted the Yellow Pages ad. "We are pleased the Alabama Department of Health has shut down an illegal abortion clinic," Henderson said. "We believe that all abortion clinics in the state need to be shut down, starting with the illegal ones." In 1995, Palmer resigned as medical director of the Women's Community Health Center in Huntsville after health officials ruled he had been performing abortions without proper state certification. References: Huntsville Times [Alabama], April 29, 2000; "Alabama Man Can No Longer Perform Abortions." Pro-Life Infonet, May 3, 2000.
Mobile, Alabama
Gross Negligence and Malpractice On November 18, 1986, Karl and Doris Madden were preparing to leave their home to spend Thanksgiving with relatives. They received a call from their daughter Michelle's college roommate, saying that she was feeling sick. When they arrived at the dormitory, they were told that their daughter had been taken to a local hospital. When they arrived there, doctors told them that Michelle was in surgery. When the surgery was completed, a doctor told the parents that Michelle had had an abortion and was in very grave condition. She died soon after of complications incurred by an abortion performed by O.B. Evans. The Maddens sued and won a $10 million judgment from abortionist Evans and the Family Planning Medical Center abortion mill of Mobile, Alabama, thus ending a four-year long court battle. References: Renee Busby. "Parents Finally Get to Tell Daughter's Story: Couple Wins Lawsuit While Getting Answers to Teen's Abortion, Death." Mobile Press Register, June 16, 1991, page B1; "$10 Million in Abortion Death." The Abortion Injury Report [American Rights Coalition], May 1993, page 2.
Alabama - Page 8 -
Reckless Endangerment The director of the Center for Choice abortion mill, Patricia Mitchell, pointed a handgun at two pro-lifers as they drove away from the clinic after a picket. She was subsequently convicted of reckless endangerment. The Center for Choice closed in April 2007. Operation Rescue President Troy Newman said that Those who promote the killing of innocent babies in the womb were dealt another blow with the closing of this abortion clinic. Abortion mills are closing all over the nation, and new ones are not replacing them because of the dramatic success of pro-life efforts in recent years that have led to a decrease in demand for abortions. This is yet more evidence that we are winning the battle for the hearts and minds of Americans, and that the days of abortion in our nation are numbered.
Reference: "Mobile Abortion Clinic Director Convicted of Gun-Related Charge; Attorney Appeals Case." Gulf Coast Christian Newspaper, undated article.
Montgomery, Alabama
Violation of Health and Safety Standards (12 incidents) and Falsification of Records (4 incidents) The Beacons Women’s Center abortion mill, located in Montgomery, Alabama, was entirely typical of such abortion clinics all over the world. Its only purpose was to generate as much income as possible for its owners and abortionists, with little or no concern for patient safety or comfort. It had a very long history of health and safety violations that included shoddy record keeping, improper distribution of controlled substances without proper physician authorization, failure of nurses to administer the correct medication, failure to determine if patients had drug allergies, failure to adhere to the state ultrasound laws that mandate women be offered to view of their ultrasound images, use of expired medication and supplies, an administrator assisting with abortion surgeries, and use of unsterilized medical equipment, including speculums and dilators. Health inspectors also found that the abortion mill falsified lab tests, was improperly conducting urinary pregnancy tests, and reading results before prescribed time had expired. 60% of its staff did not even know how to properly conduct a pregnancy test. During the State’s inspections, the Department of Health found the following deficiencies, among many others. It is obvious that the abortionists and staff of the abortion mill simply did not bother to comply with laws they found burdensome or which they disagreed with; •
•
Medical equipment had not been inspected annually as required. Department surveyors were unable to conduct a controlled drug count during this visit because abortion clinic personnel had forgotten the key to the controlled drug cabinet. As a result, other personnel were unable to access the controlled drug cabinet, which contained the Valium and Versed used to sedate patients prior to having a surgical abortion.
Alabama - Page 9 -
• •
• • • •
The Center failed to have medications available for patient comfort prior to all 17 surgical abortions being performed on January 28, 2010. The Center failed to develop policies and procedures that are consistent with applicable state law related to parental consent for abortions performed on unemancipated minors and mandatory reporting of suspected abuse or neglect of a minor child. In addition, the Center failed to have current policies and procedures available to Center staff to provide safe and effective patient care. This had the potential to affect all patients that received services from the Center. The Center did not have a policy on mandatory reporting of sexual abuse, as required. The Center did not offer the majority of its abortion patients the opportunity to view an ultrasound before the abortion, as required, and were not offered the opportunity to view the video “Did You Know,” also as required. The majority of the Center’s abortion patients did not receive proper informed consent, as required. Based on observations, record reviews, and interviews, the Center's Governing Authority failed to ensure the Center was properly staffed to provide safe quality patient care. This had the potential to affect all patients served.
The abortion mill was finally placed on temporary probation in 2007, but continued to operate for three more years. It closed down permanently in June 2010 after offering a $100 discount on abortions if women would travel to one of its sister clinics in Atlanta. References: Steven Ertelt. “Abortion Facility in Alabama Placed on Probation for Violations Shutting Down.” LifeNews.com, June 11, 2010; Alabama Department of Public Health, Statement of Deficiencies and Plan of Correction for the Beacon Women’s Center, February 2, 2010.
― End of Alabama Listing ―
(updated May 30, 2011)
Alabama - Page 10 -
