Pro-Choice Violence in Michigan

“Pro-Choice” Violence and Illegal Activities in Michigan

Ann Arbor Caro Detroit Flint Grand Rapids Kalamazoo Lansing Owosso Pontiac Ann Arbor, Michigan
Violation of Civil Rights (3 incidents) In July 2002, in Plymouth Township, pro-lifers began to demonstrate against Michigan Attorney General and gubernatorial candidate, Jennifer Granholm, and her 'pro-choice' stance, on the public sidewalk in front of the church she attends. The demonstrators displayed various signs, including signs that depicted images of aborted babies. Plymouth Township Police Officers seized the aborted baby signs on the basis that they were tantamount to pornography. The Thomas More Law Center, a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, quickly filed a lawsuit in federal court on behalf of three of the pro-lifers. Within 24 hours after the lawsuit was filed, Federal Judge Roberts held a hearing and granted the emergency temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction in favor of the three pro-lifers, permitting them to display their aborted baby signs in public. In November 2002, Detroit Federal District Judge Victoria A. Roberts ordered Plymouth Township, Michigan, to pay monetary damages, attorneys' fees, and costs totaling $39,545.15, and has permanently enjoined the Township from interfering with the rights of pro-life demonstrators to display signs of aborted babies. The three pro-lifers received a total of $23,000 in monetary damages. Thomas More Law Center attorneys Edward L. White III and Robert J. Muise handled the case on behalf of the pro-lifers.

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References: "Court Orders Municipality to Pay Over $39,000 in Michigan Pro-Life Case." December 3, 2002 press release; "Court Orders Municipality to Pay Over $39k in Pro-Life Case: Prevents Interfering with the Rights of Pro-Life Demonstrators to Display Abortion Signs." LifeSite Daily News, December 5, 2002; Thomas More Center for Law & Justice.

Caro, Michigan
Third-Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct (5 counts) and Illegal Abortion This is another of dozens of cases described in this database where child molesters find that abortion is their best friend, because it erases the evidence of their predatory sexual behavior. This case is only different because, instead of going to an abortion mill, the baby was aborted at home. During the time period August 2005 to March 2006, 22-year-old Owendale-Gagetown softball coach Cory Fritz had a sexual relationship with a girl who was 14 and then 15 years old. She became pregnant, and Fritz helped her through the process of committing an abortion at home by repeatedly punching her in the stomach, and then disposing of the baby’s body. On August 30, 2010, a jury found Fritz guilty on five of the 20 counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct that he had been facing. In October 2010, he was sentenced to ten years in prison. Reference: Stacy Langley. “Fritz Guilty on 5 Counts.” Huron Daily Tribune, August 31, 2010.

Detroit, Michigan
Attempted Murder, Assault with Intent to Murder, Home Invasion, Criminal Mischief (2 counts) and Unlawful Carrying of a Concealed Weapon 34-year-old Detroit man Ronnie Trevel Outley’s girlfriend Chrystal Forgays was about four months pregnant, but they were estranged. In 2004, Outley broke into Chrystal’s home and attacked her with a hammer in front of her three young children. The 250-pound Outley struck her in the head, face and leg, and deliberately targeted her abdomen, striking her there a number of times in an attempt to kill her preborn child. Outley attempted to withdraw his prior no-contest plea to the charges of attempted murder, assault with intent to murder, home invasion and two counts of criminal mischief, but Judge Richard Caretti of Macomb Circuit Court refused his request, sentencing him to twelve years in prison. Judge Caretti said that he rejected Outley’s attempt because Chrystal and her children "would be further traumatized" in a trial, and because the case had been delayed several times for "protracted plea discussions." He also noted that the case had already been set for trial twice. Assistant Macomb prosecutor Kathy Beard commented that "There was excessive brutality in this case. Hitting someone with a hammer is life-threatening." Victim advocate Kaye McGuire read a statement by Chrystal, which stated that "He has ruined me and my children forever. We'll never be able to trust anyone again. They [my children] are scared he will come back to hurt us again. They cling to me like they will never see me again." Outley has one prior conviction, a concealed weapon charge in Detroit in the early 1990s. Reference: Jameson Cook. “Man Gets 12 Years for Hammer Attack on Pregnant Girlfriend: Judge

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Rejects His Attempt to Withdraw Plea.” Macomb Daily, February 25, 2006. First-Degree Criminal Sexual Assault (2 counts) and Criminal Sexual Conduct (5 counts) [Bloomfield Township] Rodolfo Finkelstein not only performed abortions, he sexually molested the women he did them on. As this database proves, this is a frequent occurrence among abortionists. Finkelstein performed abortions at the Women’s Advisory Center abortion mills in Livonia and Bloomfield Township. He insisted upon seeing women alone for examinations, and he kissed, fondled and sexually assaulted them when other people were not present. Two women gave graphic testimony against Finkelstein. He did a second-trimester abortion on one 21-year-old woman and then assaulted her. In January 2003, he kissed a 19-year-old woman after an abortion, then squeezed her buttocks. Investigators charged Finkelstein with two counts of first-degree criminal sexual assault, which could have landed him in prison for the rest of his life. He was also charged with five counts of criminal sexual conduct. Bloomfield Township Police Chief Jeffrey Werner said that "Patients should be able to go to their doctor and be assured of good care. It appears this doctor took advantage of his patients, and we will do our part to hold him accountable." However, like so many other “pro-choice” leaders, Finkelstein did not have the courage to face the consequences of his actions, abandoning his family and fleeing to his native Argentina on March 1, 2005. After he failed to appear in court later that month, District Judge Kimberly Small issued an arrest warrant for him. Assistant Oakland County Prosecutor Barbara Morrison said that "We believe he has left the country. We’re not sure if he is here or in Argentina. We are actively seeking his whereabouts." Morrison also praised the witnesses, saying that "The complainants held up remarkably well. It took a lot of courage." References: Steven Ertelt. “Abortion Practitioner in Michigan Charged With Sexually Abusing Patients.” LifeNews.com, February 28, 2005; Abortion Doctor Accused of Sexual Assault by Two Women.” LifeSite News, March 1, 2005; Steven Ertelt. “Abortion Practitioner Accused of Sexual Abuse May Have Left U.S.” LifeNews.com, March 15, 2005. Gross Malpractice On January 7, 2004, a 15-year-old African-American girl, Tamia Russell, made the fatal error of going to abortionist Alberto Hodari for a late second-trimester abortion at the Womancare abortion mill in Southfield, a suburb of Detroit. It was the last decision she would ever make. He perforated her uterus so badly that she died the next day. Michigan law requires parental notification for abortions on minors under 18, but the abortion mill and the abortionist ignored this law. Tamia had borrowed a 19-year-old woman’s photo identification, but the woman looked nothing like her. The abortion mill personnel did not notice this small detail. They also ignored the fact that Tamia was pregnant by her 24-year-old boyfriend Stacy Glenn, and that this constitutes statutory rape under Michigan law. Taisha Glenn, Stacy’s sister, was the person who drove Tamia to the abortion mill. When she got home, Tamia started bleeding heavily, "so much so she soaked an entire mattress," her family said. In a panic, they called the Womancare abortion mill, and the people there told them that such bleeding is “normal,” and not to call a hospital. Of course, they were thinking only of their own skins, and could not care less about whether or not Tamia died ― which she did.

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Dr. Leigh Hlavaty performed an autopsy on Tamia the day after she died, and said that her death was caused by "uterine infarction with sepsis due to status second trimester abortion." She ruled the death as "normal," explaining that "I ruled it `normal’ because these complications are expected with this type of abortion." Janine Simpson, director of Urban Center Development for CareNet, a network of crisis pregnancy resource centers in North America, said that "The sad fact is that we are unaware of how many Tamias exist because the abortion industry is unregulated and, according to the coroner, the complications that led to her death are considered 'normal.'" In November 2006, Hodari gave a presentation entitled “Why I am an Abortion Provider” to the Wayne State University chapter of Medical Students for Choice. Hodari told the students that "I have great satisfaction of what I do, and I never feel bad or worried about doing abortions." He also spoke about how little he washed between abortions because it chafed his hands, even though his doing so puts women's health at risk. Most revealing of all, he said that he has a "license to lie" to women who seek him out for abortions. References: "15-Year-Old Detroit Girl Dies from Botched Second Trimester Abortion." LifeSite Daily News, March 11, 2004; "Group's Endorsement Follows Black Teen's Abortion Death." U.S. Newswire at http://www.usnewswire.com, March 19, 2004; Steven Ertelt. “Abortion Practitioner Tells Michigan Medical Students He Has `License to Lie.’" LifeNews.com, December 13, 2007. Assault and Intentionally Causing a Miscarriage or Stillbirth According to official police documents and media reports, the following events occurred in and around Westland, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. Daniel Reed Jarrett II's girlfriend was 21 weeks pregnant, and he had been pressuring her to have an abortion. She had resisted his suggestions, and finally, on January 3, 2008, he decided that she would have an abortion — at his hands. During a visit to Westland, Michigan, he beat her, threw her onto the ground, and kicked her in the abdomen so severely that her preborn child died and had to be delivered dead two days later at St. Mary Mercy Hospital in Livonia. On January 6, Jarrett turned himself in to police and was charged with assaulting a pregnant woman and intentionally causing a miscarriage or stillbirth. References: Christine Ferretti. "Man Charged with Assault in Stillbirth: Police Say He Kicked Girlfriend in Abdomen When She Told Him She Didn't Get an Abortion." Detroit News, January 11, 2008; "Hearing Postponed Again in Beating Case." HomeTownLife.com, February 14, 2008. Attempted Murder and Assault (5 incidents) On January 21, 1989, at the East GYN Center abortion mill, a pro-abortionist grabbed a pro-lifer by the throat and attempted to strangle him. Police prevented pro-abortionists from dousing other pro-lifers with water and paint in the sub-freezing weather. A video shows a pro-abortionist apparently spitting on police. Pro-lifer Ann Rock said she was stuck under some pro-abortionists, and one man kneeled on her chest and her neck. Her neck was twisted sideways into an unnatural position, resulting in nerve damage. She said that I was punched, kicked, and kneed in the spine. My head was pushed into my shoulders. My hair was pulled, some clothing was pulled off. I was dragged underneath a group of

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pro-abortion demonstrators where I was pinned on the ground by a male pro-abortion demonstrator who was kneeling on my chest as he shouted, "women have a right to their own bodies." As I struggled he put his knee in my throat. Other pro-life rescuers fared worse. Reference: Videocassette "For the Children" and Ann Rock's February 12, 1989 letter to Senator John Engler. Kidnapping (2 counts), Extortion (4 counts), Conspiracy to Commit Extortion (2 counts), Assault and Unlawful Imprisonment (2 counts) [Warren] 39-year-old Holly M. Patterson of Warren, Michigan, and her boyfriend, 40-year-old Louis D. Cotoio of Ferndale, had a problem. Patterson claimed that she was pregnant by her ex-boyfriend Matthew Chapman, but did not have the money to pay for an abortion. On March 15, 2008, Patterson asked Chapman to meet her at a CVS Pharmacy. They then drove to her apartment, where Cotoio was waiting. Cotoio demanded money from Chapman, punched him, and then handcuffed him and bound his feet and mouth with duct tape. Patterson then called Matthew's brother James and demanded a ransom of $500. She told him to meet them at a McDonald's in Royal Oak. James Chapman called police, who followed him and arrested Patterson and Cotoio. They found Matthew Chapman bound in a Jeep Cherokee driven by Cotoio. Patterson and Cotoio were each charged with kidnapping, extortion and unlawful imprisonment. After a two-day trial in Macomb County Circuit Court in Mount Clemens, a jury found Patterson guilty of two counts of extortion, conspiracy to commit extortion, kidnapping and unlawful imprisonment, after deliberating for only two hours. In addition to the same charges Patterson faced, Cotoio was charged with assault for tackling Chapman in the apartment and hitting and kicking him several times. He pleaded no contest to the charges and in a plea deal was sentenced to a maximum of five years in prison. References: Jameson Cook. "Accused Kidnapper Claims Innocence." Macomb Daily, December 18, 2008; Jameson Cook. "Woman Guilty of Kidnapping Ex-Boyfriend." Daily Tribune [Southeastern Oakland County, Michigan], January 14, 2009. Assault with a Deadly Weapon (ADW) [Livonia] In May 1984, a pro-abortionist shot several picketing pro-lifers with a pellet gun or BB gun in a drive-by shooting. Too many cars were driving by to identify the car which contained the assailant. Reference: Mary Meehan. November 16, 1986. Assault (12 incidents) On March 24, 1989, at the Oak Park Women Care Abortion Clinic, many rescuers were assaulted by pro-abortionists bodily removing them. One person had clumps of hair pulled out. Police arrested and charged four pro-abortionists. Reference: "For the Children" videocassette. "Abortionist Found Guilty of Assault," National Catholic Register,

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Assault (4 incidents) [Livonia] On November 12, 1988, at least four pro-abortionists assaulted pro-lifers in front of a Livonia abortion mill. Reference: Ronald C. Dehne (police officer at the scene), Livonia Observer, Letter to the Editor, June 26, 1989. Assault and Battery (4 incidents) On May 7, 1989, police arrested four pro-abortionists with the group "Coalition to Defend Abortion Rights" and charged them with assault and battery on pro-life picketers. Reference: The Detroit News, May 7, 1989, page 19A. Assault (2 incidents), Battery and Malpractice [Livonia] In June of 1993, a pro-life woman (Terri Buckshaw) was in the process of serving legal papers on abortionist Enrique Gerbi. The server handed the abortionist the papers, asking "Can I talk to you?" to which he replied, "Yes, you can suck my dick." She turned around to leave, and he kicked her in the upper back of her thigh with all the force of his 200 pounds. He lied by denying that the collision of his foot with her leg was intentional, but the crime was caught on videotape. The police report states "... that the suspect's account in no way coincides with the videotape." Abortionist Gerbi had previously been charged with assault after aborting alive a 29-week preborn baby. He also had to pay $75,000 for a botched abortion on Vicny Sprinkle of Frankfort, Indiana, after he rushed through her abortion (he did 23 in six hours, and spent only six minutes on Sprinkle) and she remained pregnant. Sprinkle obtained a 20-week abortion, but could thereafter only have children by Cesarean section. References: Cynthia Lee. "Patient Awarded $75,000 in Unsuccessful Abortion." The Detroit News, June 25, 1983, page 3-A; Anti-Life Report. "Baby Lives; Abortionist Charged With Assault." ALL About Issues, September 1985, page 42; and Livonia police incident report #93035593; Anna Niduke. "Abortionist Gerbi Kicks Pro-Life Process Server." Life Advocate, November 1993, page 23. Assault, Violation of Civil Rights, and Vandalism (2 incidents) [Royal Oak] In August of 2001, pro-lifer Ronald Brock was participating in the Woodward Dream Cruise Weekend, held annually to celebrate "memories of 'cruising' during the 1950s and 1960s." According to information posted on the Dream Cruise website, the event is "a mid-summer classic that celebrates the cars, music and memories of cruisin' in the '50s and '60s in the place that put America on wheels." The event, held in Royal Oak, Michigan, attracts 1.5 million visitors and some 30,000 cars each year. The problem was that Brock decided to dress up his motor home with photos of aborted babies, which offended pro-abortionists in the crowd. Detroit police confiscated his motor home allegedly for an "investigation into obscenity," leaving him stranded on the streets of Royal Oak with a few personal

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belongings in a duffel bag. In an attempt to justify their stop, police tested the lights, brakes, turn signals, and tire treads of the motor home. Then they searched Brock's motor home and personal belongings. When Brock attempted to record the police conversation with his tape recorder, the police seized the recorder. When he attempted to have another person photograph the police in action, the police seized the camera. Despite the fact that the motor home was in perfect condition, and despite the fact that the police found absolutely no evidence of any crime, they seized the motor home. After this confiscation, the police tried to get search warrants from the city's attorney and the county prosecutor's office, but both were denied. It is laughable that these pro-abortion police used a pretext of "obscenity" to bully Brock, since in the same parade there were a number of customized vehicles displaying spray-painted murals of completely naked women and signs saying "SHOW US YOUR TITS." On August 13, 2002, Brock, who is from California, filed suit in U.S. district court in Detroit, represented by the Thomas More Law Center. He received a temporary restraining order prohibiting the city of Detroit from bothering him again, but his vehicle did suffer minor damage when he returned to the event on August 17, 2002, because intolerant pro-aborts threw eggs at his vehicle. However, another participant, whose small bus was also adorned with similar pro-life materials, was not so lucky. Pro-aborts jumped on his bus, tore off the signs, and then beat the 51-year-old man up. In May 2003, Federal Judge Paul V. Gadola ordered the City of Royal Oak, Michigan, to pay $44,707.17 in damages and attorneys' fees to Ronald Brock, and has permanently prohibited police from interfering with his rights when he displays his pro-life and Christian messages on the public streets of that city. The judge ruled that the First Amendment protects the symbols, messages, and signs, including those depicting images of aborted babies, displayed on Brock's motor home, and that Brock's constitutional rights had been violated during the 2001 Dream Cruise. References: Thomas More Center For Law & Justice. "Woodward Dream Cruise Turns Into Royal Oak Nightmare for Pro-Lifer: Federal Lawsuit Filed." August 14, 2002; Jon Dougherty. "Suit Filed After Cops Confiscate Motor Home: Man's Vehicle Allegedly Bore 'Obscene' Pro-Life Messages." WorldNetDaily.com, August 21, 2002; Tom Willard. "Pro-Life Bus Sparks Ruckus at Cruise." Daily Tribune, August 21, 2002; "Judge Orders Michigan City to Pay Pro-Lifer." Pro-Life Infonet, May 14, 2003. Assault In April 1989, a cowardly pro-abortionist assaulted a 69-year old Port Huron pro-lifer at a Sterling Heights demonstration. Reference: The Detroit News, April 30, 1989, page 18A. Assault On October 7, 1989, a pro-abortionist bit a pro-lifer, who was advised by his doctor to get tested for AIDS. Reference: Videocassette "For the Children." Assault and Vandalism (2 incidents) [Plymouth]

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In the 2002 elections, 'Catholic' pro-abortionist Jennifer Granholm was running for the governorship of Michigan. Just two days before the primary election, the parish bulletin of Our Lady of Good Counsel parish carried a front-page column by associate pastor Father Dennis "Doc" Ortman praising Granholm for her pro-abortionism and condemning pro-lifers who "don't understand that choice is part of the foundation of our Catholic Christian Community." He also roundly condemned pro-lifers several times from the pulpit. Outraged pro-lifers, both Catholic and non-Catholic, began to picket the parish on a weekly basis. In August 2002, 'Catholic' pro-abortionists vandalized Roy Brown's car by smearing smelly baked food all over it. A parishioner jumped out of her car and physically assaulted Deborah Anderson, trying to rip up her sign, then slamming her into a stop sign and punching her in the head. Reference: David Senseman. "Pro-Abort for Governor of Michigan." The Wanderer, August 22, 2002, pages 1 and 10. Gross Negligence (2 incidents), Incompetence (7 incidents), Malpractice (4 incidents), Criminal Abortion (2 incidents), Drug Dealing (20 incidents), Practicing Medicine Without a License, and Violation of Health and Safety Standards (7 incidents) Abortionist Ming Kow Hah botched an April 24, 1990 abortion so gruesomely that he tore a woman's uterus right out of her body. The abortion mill called for an ambulance, and Hah or other staff falsely informed the EMTs that the patient underwent a tubal ligation rather than an abortion. She had lost two liters of blood prior to arrival of the ambulance. After transport to a nearby hospital, surgeons "found 2500 cc. of blood in the peritoneal cavity, a lacerated uterus, a severed left infundibular ligament with bleeding from that area and from the right adnexa, and a lacerated bladder." They had to remove what remained of her uterus, ovary and fallopian tube, repaired her bladder, "and removed the normal 24-27 week fetal brain and skull from the patient's abdomen." In another ghastly botched abortion, Hah aborted Rosa Naperstek-Taft (also know as Rosa Naperstek-Tauber) in January of 1973. She screamed in pain during the entire abortion at Detroit's Planned Family Center abortion mill. In response the staff stuffed a tampon in her mouth. She suffered the loss of all of her reproductive organs and her spleen and had to undergo a colostomy. She suffered severe damage to her heart, lungs, and kidneys, and had "mass scar tissue and adhesions throughout the thoracic, abdominal and pelvic regions." She required a tracheotomy and her vocal cords were damaged. She was hospitalized for eight months, three of those in intensive care, and had to learn to walk and talk again. She said that "I don't have my normal body. My abdomen looks like a sky map of the Grand Canyon ... My voice is totally changed, and I have a lot of psychological scars that will be with me forever." Taft settled for $600,000 out-of-court. Ironically, according to a Chicago Sun-Times article, Taft, an attorney who "was at the forefront of the fight for legalized abortion," "gathered with some friends who had had dangerous illegal abortions in the past" the night prior to her abortion, and, Taft said, "We all rejoiced that night about how I would be able to get a safe, legal one." Taft's suit also charged Highland Park Hospital with negligence in allowing Hah hospital privileges and in "permitting Dr. Hah to operate as an abortionist and advertise and permit him to hold himself forth as a member in good standing and a member of the staff so as to attract the public to the abortion facilities." Undercover investigators at an abortion mill where Hah worked stated "You could hear the patients screaming," and "Nearly all Hah's patients vomit from the pain." One news report alleged that one of Hah's abortion patients was screaming from the pain, and he told her "You know you wouldn't have all these problems if you had your tubes tied." She cried, "Anything,

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anything," and Hah immediately scheduled a sterilization for her. News reports state that his Detroit abortion facility was shut down by health officials 16 months after it opened, due to dirty, rusting instruments encrusted with "dried matter," soiled sheets, instruments being sterilized by washing them in "Tide" detergent, surgical equipment being cleaned with plain water, and other unsanitary conditions. Hah's Michigan license was revoked in 1975 because he prescribed large amounts of narcotics to drug dealers; he gave 384 prescriptions for Dilaudid within 4 months. Medical experts testified that this drug is typically prescribed for terminal cancer patients, but Hah prescribed it for "pain no more severe than headaches." Police said Hah usually got $50 for each 24-capsule prescription, which some patients then allegedly sold on the streets for $10-$15 per capsule. Hah delayed the revocation of his medical license for nearly 2 years by getting a judge to invoke a stay. Hah's New York license was revoked after allegations of incompetence in performing abortions and/or other procedures on 7 patients in 1989 and 1990. He was arrested January 13, 1992 for preparing to perform abortion on an undercover investigator. His Illinois license was revoked in 1980. References: Chicago Sun-Times, November 15, 1978 and June 6, 1979 ("The Abortion Profiteers"); Tony Gosgnach. "Cases Reveal a Path of Destruction Through Women, Children, and Society." The Interim, September 1998; New York Newsday, November 27, 1990; New York Times, January 13 and 14, 1992; New York Medical Board Calendar #11953; Cook County Circuit Court Case #78L25670; and Wayne County Circuit Court Case #73-250-920-CM. Felonious Criminal Abortion, Negligence, Incompetence, and Falsification of Medical Records (2 incidents) In 1994, abortionist Jose Gilberto Higuera aborted a woman who was pregnant with a healthy and viable 28-week old preborn baby, and then altered her records when he came under investigation. The woman said that Higuera never told how advanced her pregnancy was, and that she had sought the abortion for "personal reasons," which were that she was no longer in a relationship with the father and already had other children. The abortion was a two-day, $3,000 procedure, and Higuera's nurse brought it to the attention of medical authorities. He was charged with violating a Michigan law that bans third-trimester abortions except to protect the mother's life or health. Higuera tried to defend himself by claiming that Michigan's 1973 anti-abortion statute is unconstitutionally vague, and two lower courts agreed with him. However, in February 2001, the Michigan Court of Appeals found that Higuara's criminal prosecution was not prohibited by the Roe v. Wade decision. The case was therefore cleared to go to trial in Wayne County Circuit Court, although Higuera's lawyer said that he might appeal yet again. Assistant Attorney General Mark Blumer said the majority ruling is "fairly narrow." "People shouldn't read too much into it," Blumer said. "This was a pretty egregious set of facts that we felt had to be acted upon." Blumer also said that Higuera did not have a clear medical or health reason to perform the late-term abortion. "Had the mother's health been jeopardized by the pregnancy, there would not be a criminal prosecution. There's no doubt about that. What we've got is the classic gray area. A woman went in to the doctor's office and wanted an abortion for no good reason. And we have a doctor who was willing to give it. That's why this case is so different." If convicted, Higuera would have faced up to four years in prison. But, of course, he was not convicted. The State dropped the felonious abortion charge against him in exchange for a guilty plea on the falsification of records charge, and this cost him his medical license.

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Since he had retired several years previously, Higuera received essentially no punishment at all. Early in 1999, the state suspended Higuera's medical license, finding he was "negligent, incompetent and lacked good moral character," for reusing syringes and IV bags and for altering a medical record. More than a dozen other women had filed malpractice suits against Higuera, claiming that they were harmed during abortions, but most of these cases were settled out of court and the terms were sealed. References: Dawson Bell. "Abortion Case is Cleared for Trial: Doctor Broke the Law, Court of Appeals Rules." Detroit Free Press, February 1, 2001; "Abortion Practitioner Can be Prosecuted for Late-Term Abortion." Associated Press, February 1, 2001; Pro-Life Infonet, February 2, 2001 [#2]; "Michigan Abortion Practitioner Charged With Illegal Late-Term Abortion." Associated Press, April 4, 2001; "Michigan Abortion Practitioner Charged With Illegal Late-Term Abortion." Pro-Life Infonet, April 5, 2001; "Abortionist Charged for Illegal Abortion." Catholic World News, April 17, 2001; Lisa M. Collins. "Michigan Doctor Faces Felonious Abortion Charge." Associated Press, April 4 and April 17, 2001; Brian McGuire. "Late-Term Abortionist May Face Prison." National Catholic Register, May 6-12, 2001, pages 1 and 13; "Doctor Faces Charges in Late-Term Abortion." Omaha World-Herald, May 1, 2001; Associated Press, May 7, 2001; "Abortion Practitioner Will Lose License for Illegal Late-Term Abortion." Pro-Life Infonet, May 8, 2001. Gross Negligence (5 incidents), Malpractice (5 incidents), Misconduct, Forced Abortions (2 incidents), Practicing Medicine Without a License (2 incidents), Medicaid Fraud (8 incidents), Death Threat and Violation of Health and Safety Standards (5 counts) Abortionist Joseph W. Rucker Sr. aborted 'Lidia Roe' on July 15, 1978. She was examined by another doctor who estimated her pregnancy at 18 weeks. She said that she did not want an abortion if her pregnancy was that advanced, and the doctor told her that Rucker would double-check the gestational age. Rucker arrived, and, according to Roe, his "eyes were swollen, with big circles around them. And he had these fingernails that were a half-inch long." Rucker walked into the procedure room, did not speak to the woman, and began examining her. She said that "He was so rough. He made me so scared I could hardly talk." He did not verify the gestational age, but just instructed an aide, "Knock 'em down" [put her under]. She awoke in the recovery room, bleeding heavily, and was returned to the procedure room. A woman later identified as Rucker's wife "comes in. She's wearing a halter top and shorts, and she starts sticking me in the arm, trying to get some blood ... Then the doctor comes in. He's not even wearing a white coat. Just a shirt and jeans. I thought they were trying to kill me." Roe's fianc&#233e; reported that a dog admitted to the procedure room sniffed at Roe as she lay bleeding, and lapped her blood off the floor. He confronted Rucker about the dog being in an operating room, and Rucker snarled at him, "That dog lives here. This is my house, and that is my dog. That dog can go anywhere in this clinic that he damn well pleases. The dog is probably cleaner than you." Rucker and his wife later denied the presence of the dog. Mrs. Rucker reportedly screamed, "This is such bulls—! This happens to be a medical clinic, not an animal shelter!" Rucker called the allegation "a low blow," and when asked if he owned a dog, reportedly told a reporter, "I don't think that's your goddamn business. We don't have anything in this clinic [but] people. Some of the people that come from Chicago I refer to as dogs." Rucker attempted to abort 14-year old Cecelia Gonzales on January 26, 1977. He attempted to terminate her pregnancy, which he estimated as 14 weeks, using a vacuum aspirator. She began to hemorrhage and was transported to a nearby hospital by car. A doctor there determined that she was 7 months pregnant. She was released, and her baby girl was born on February 1 (just five days after the botched abortion) with a 2-inch piece of her scalp missing. The Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulation charged Rucker with substandard practice on

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June 15, 1976, after the abortionist badly botched abortions on four women, including Nancy Petersen. In the latter case, Peterson found that Rucker's pre-op exam consisted of him walking into the room, putting his hand on her stomach and announcing "15 weeks." During her abortion on October 26, 1974, at nearly 6 months' gestation, Rucker began swearing, saying that the skull was stuck. He tore her uterus and left the fetal skull in the tear. The doctor who repaired the tear and removed the skull informed Peterson that he had also done a tubal ligation and appendectomy because Rucker had told him this was what Nancy had wanted. Peterson said that "I called Dr. Rucker from the hospital to complain. He told me I was fortunate because I got all this done and got my money back, too. He said I should be happy!" Rucker's license was suspended and then revoked. He appealed and was able to continue practicing into 1983. Rucker also flew to Texas on weekends to do abortions in "unbelievably unsanitary" abortion mills. Medical board allegations also included unqualified staff administering general anesthesia, failure to monitor patients, and failure to provide counseling. During court testimony, witnesses said that Rucker ordered expensive tests charged to Medicaid, sometimes prior to seeing patients or taking their medical histories. With one patient, Rucker ordered over forty tests, then never showed up to examine the patient. Rucker allegedly billed Medicaid for nearly $1 million over a 5-year period, including $350,000 in a single year, ranking him 11th of 10,400 Michigan doctors billing Medicaid. He was indicted on fraud charges for this overbilling. Rucker said to a female reporter covering his trial that "I'd like to do an abortion on you, you goddamn bitch! You need to be aborted. You have written innumerable lies about me. You and [Assistant District Attorney] Gay Hardy are the lyingist bitches I've ever known in my life. Don't call me again as long as you are white and ugly and a liar. As long as you are an ugly, lying bitch, don't call me." During the time she was covering the allegations against Rucker, she received calls from people identifying themselves as Rucker's patients calling at his urging, threatening lawsuits. One anonymous call warned her "You better watch your ass, girl. You don't know me, but I know you, and I'm coming after you. You might come up missing, honey. You better watch your ass, and watch it good." Rucker also examined a non-pregnant reporter, told her she was pregnant, and scheduled an abortion for her. A news report and suit by Holly Lumley alleged that Rucker allowed an ex-convict with no medical training, Eugene Ralph Marra, to perform abortions, identifying himself as "Dr. Mike Morrison." Marra reportedly had been acquitted in 1976 of doing an abortion on a 25-year-old woman, because evidence was not sufficient to convict him. Rucker's medical license was revoked by the State of Michigan in 1980 and suspended in 1983. His license reinstatement request was denied in 1991. Interestingly, one of the lawyers who succeeded in delaying Rucker's prosecution for several years with delaying tactics was Planned Parenthood lawyer Frank Susman. Assistant Attorney General Gay Hardy charged Susman with misconduct for directly contacting Medical Board members about a matter that was in litigation. He sent letters presenting Rucker as a man whose celebration of "his silver anniversary in practice" was being "shattered" by board action. Other attorneys representing Rucker claimed that he was not incompetent, but that he was pioneering what later became standard abortion techniques [this is kind of like saying that an airline pilot who repeatedly crashes his aircraft is "pioneering a new kind of flying"]. Hardy filed a motion asking for revocation of Susman's temporary permission to practice law in Michigan. Susman, citing "the pressures of time and distance," hurriedly left Michigan and returned to St. Louis. References: "The Abortion Profiteers." Chicago Sun-Times, November 15, 1978 and June 6, 1979; Dolly Katz. "Doctor Thumbs His Nose at the Medical Board: Medicaid Fees Help Him Do It." Detroit Free Press, November 14, 1982, pages 1A and 15A; and Wayne County Circuit Court Case #74-039475.

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Malpractice Patrice Wimphrey sued abortionist Mohammed Aussie in July of 1997, claiming he botched her April 1996 abortion and left her unaware she was still pregnant. The child, now two, has required extensive hospitalization because of injuries sustained in the procedure. Wimphrey wants Aussie and the hospital where the abortion attempt took place to pay related expenses, as well as the cost of raising the child until age 18. Reference: Tony Gosgnach. "Cases Reveal a Path of Destruction Through Women, Children, and Society." The Interim, September 1998.

Flint, Michigan
Assault and Battery Flint, Michigan is another place where pro-abortionists will "fight to the death for your right to free speech" — unless they don't like what you're saying. In that case, they will do everything they can to shut you up, including the use of physical violence. Pastor Matt Trewhella of the Missionaries to the Preborn and about 35 other pro-lifers were peacefully picketing outside the Genesee County Courthouse Pro-abortionist Amanda Crim told others that she was "outraged" by their posters, so she drove her car over the curb near the protest and began screaming and cursing at the pro-lifers. She said "You are no better than someone who had an abortion! Why do you have to go to the (expletive) street where I have to see all this? You are not helping anything, but giving people nightmares." Crim and Trewhella shouted at each other for a while, then Crim kicked over one of the signs and slapped him, and Trewhella hit her back. Then they began to wrestle and were finally separated by others. Trewhella's three-year-old son Matt suffered a cut lip in the fracas. Crim was arrested after the incident and pleaded guilty to assault and battery. Flint District Judge Nathaniel C. Perry III suspended her sentence and said the case would be dismissed if she had not had more "assaultive contacts" by February 2005. References: George Jaksa. "Abortion Protest Leads to Violence: Lurid Placards Draw Woman's Ire." The Flint Journal, August 6, 2004; George Jaksa. "Protestor to Return in June." The Flint Journal, December 28, 2004.

Grand Rapids, Michigan
Assault on a Pregnant Woman and Intentionally Intending to Cause a Miscarriage or Still Birth [Lowell] Justin Siekierk's girlfriend, Kristin Gleason, was about three months pregnant. Siekierk wanted her to get an abortion, but she refused. So Siekierk decided to abort her himself — violently. On the witness stand, Gleason spoke softly as she recalled the morning of the attack, August 18, 2003, when she and a friend, Kristi Woolworth, went to Siekierk's apartment. She said "We talked about

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the baby. He wanted me to kill it or abort it. I didn't agree. He threw me in the bushes." She said Siekierk followed her into the bushes and continued kicking her with his steel-toed boots and punching her in the stomach until Woolworth pulled him off. Gleason was able to run to her car. She said "Kristi basically saved my life." Siekierk faced several charges, including assault on a pregnant woman and "intentionally intending to cause a miscarriage or still birth," which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Assistant Prosecutor Edward Lis said "Based on his words and actions, he (was) potentially trying to injure this fetus. In reading the police report, it was so horrific and the nature of this crime is so egregious. As far as I know, this is the first case we've tried like this." 63rd District Court Judge Sara Smolenski said to Siekierk "It's clear you wanted to injure her. You knew she was pregnant and you directed your physical violence toward the torso area and groin." References: Theresa D. McClellan. "Man Faces Rare Charge of Trying to Hurt Fetus." The Grand Rapids Press, September 11, 2003.

Kalamazoo, Michigan
Grand Theft and Theft Rene Davis was the Director of Finance at Planned Parenthood of Southwest Michigan. Over a period of time, she stole about $5,000 in abortion company money to pay for personal expenses. Then, instead of being punished in any way, Planned Parenthood promoted her to the position of Chief Operating Officer. PP should have known better; Davis had already been caught stealing funds at her previous job and was obliged to take a “diversion course.” Planned Parenthood of Southwest Michigan’s CEO is the “Reverend” Mark Pawlowski, who said that “It came to our attention and we were duly diligent in investigating it. The employee faced disciplinary action and is no longer responsible for any financial duties within the organization.” He did not mention that Davis was not fired, but made COO of the organization while other PP employees were being laid off for economic reasons. Planned Parenthood said that Davis eventually paid back all of the money she stole, and so filed no charges against her. But it might be Pawlowski who loses his job; PP’s Board of Directors is considering replacing him. The accounting firm of Flegal and Tibbitts conducted the May 2010 audit that caught Davis, saying that Bank statements in some instances were accumulated [by Davis] for up to six months before they were reconciled. … Several transactions indicated the expenses were employee’s personal expenses that were not charged to the employee. We found that changes in withholding for the Director of Finance had been made with no approval [by the CEO as required]. Reference: Steven Ertelt. “Michigan Planned Parenthood Exec Stole 5K From Abortion Biz.” LifeNews.com, December 22, 2010. Destruction of Property and Violation of Civil Rights On October 11, 2001, 57-year old pro-lifer Ann Norton and a friend, Diane Roberts, were picketing

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a Kalamazoo Planned Parenthood abortion mill. Norton had placed a sign depicting "a color photo of a bloody, aborted female child's head being held by surgical equipment" near the clinic entrance, according to a statement from the Thomas More Law Center. A pro-abortionist suddenly destroyed Norton's sign, and then called the police. As could be expected, the vandal was let off scot-free by police, and Norton and Roberts were charged with a violation of state law for displaying the graphic sign. Michigan statutes prohibit the public display of pictures of murder. Yet abortion is not legally murder in Michigan, an inconsistency that was lost on the police. The police eventually dropped the charges because they had failed to confiscate the sign as evidence. However, the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety warned Norton not to put up new ones depicting the same graphic scenes or she risked arrest and prosecution. The Thomas More Law Center filed suit on behalf of Norton, charging that the state's law "as it applied to her" was an unconstitutional violation of her First Amendment rights. The suit sought damages from the city and three of its public-safety officers. In February 2002, United States District Judge David W. McKeague ruled the Michigan statute violated Norton's free-speech rights, permanently enjoining the state attorney general's office, as well as city and county officials, from prosecuting Norton. As part of her settlement with the city, Norton agreed to dismiss her claims for damages against the officers if the city paid her $650. Norton said a portion of the city's settlement will be used to buy several new pro-life signs to help in her future picketing outside the Planned Parenthood abortion mill. Reference: Jon Dougherty. "Pro-Life Protester Wins Settlement." http://www.WorldNetDaily.com, May 8, 2002. WorldNetDaily at

Lansing, Michigan
Attempted Murder, Felony Possession of a Firearm, and Committing a Felony with a Firearm On May 31, 2003, a man who was apparently unhappy that his girlfriend was five months pregnant decided to abort her himself. First he beat her on her head with his pistol, and then shot her in the abdomen, barely missing her preborn child. "She is so extremely lucky," said Joyce Draganchuk, Ingham County's chief assistant prosecutor. Since the boyfriend disappeared right after the attempted murder, the identities of the victim and the assailant are being kept confidential, and she is under police protection. "(We) are very, very concerned about her safety," police Lieutenant Bruce Ferguson said. The boyfriend was charged with assault with intent to commit murder, felony possession of a firearm and committing a felony with a firearm. He could face up to life in prison if convicted. Reference: Christine MacDonald. "Boyfriend Will Face Charges in Shooting of Pregnant Woman." Lansing State Journal, June 3, 2003. Assault On October 6, 2004, Michigan State University's pro-life group Students for Life had set up an informational table for Respect Life week. They distributed pro-life literature and plastic models of unborn babies.

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They probably knew that there could be trouble, because pro-abortionists think that colleges are their exclusive domain, and that pro-lifers have no free speech rights on campuses at all. As the pro-lifers were packing up, a gang of Students for Choice members showed up with a large banner and began to jeer and shout. At that time, a male student was talking with member of Students for Life, and had expressed interest from the group. Then, two female pro-abortionists began harassing the student, telling him he had no right to an opinion on a woman's issue, the same old stupid pro-abortion slogan that every pro-lifer has heard many times. The pro-aborts snatched the pro-life literature from his hands, and threw it at him. When he bent over to pick them up, they kicked his hands. Then, one of the pro-abortion students tackled the student, knocking him onto the recruitment table and crushing it. Then the two pro-aborts walked off, laughing. Police were called to the scene, but the Students for Choice representatives denied knowing the attacker or her accomplice, even though pro-lifers had seen the attackers at the group's events. Reference: Paul Nowak. "Pro-Life Michigan State University Student Assaulted by Abortion Advocates." LifeNews, October 9, 2004.

Owosso, Michigan
First-Degree Murder (2 counts), Attempted Suicide, Felony Firearm Possession and Carrying a Firearm with Unlawful Intent Truck driver Harlan Drake frequently drove by Owosso High School, and occasionally saw pro-life activist Jim Pouillon there with signs he considered "inappropriate" for children to see. He did not, of course, consider the actual abortions depicted by the signs to be "inappropriate" — just the signs themselves. He decided that showing these signs in a school zone was a capital offense, especially since they had offended his mother, to whom he was very devoted. He figured that, since he would be sentenced to life in prison for one murder, he might as well go for several, so he also decided to murder gravel pit owner Michael Fuoss and local realtor James Howe, who he thought had mistreated his mother in the past. The Murders On September 11, 2009, Jim Pouillon was in his usual place outside the high school. Drake pulled his pickup truck up to the curb, leaned out, and very deliberately shot him four times with a large-caliber handgun. Then Drake drove to the gravel pit and shot Michael Fuoss seventeen times. Drake told a detective that Jim had angered his mother, Kim Staples, and that if he was in front of the school on September 11, "he was going to make sure he wasn't there again." After these two murders, Drake returned to his home and prepared to murder James Howe, but was arrested before he could carry out his plans. The next day, Drake broke the television set in his cell and attempted to slash his wrists with a piece of broken glass. [Non]-Reaction of the Pro-Abortionists The reaction of large pro-abortion groups to the murder of late-term abortionist George Tiller just a few months previously was immediate and forceful. Within hours of learning about Tiller's murder, NARAL Pro-Choice America, the Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA), the National

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Organization for Women (NOW), Emily's List, and dozens of other pro-abortion groups all loudly condemned his killer in particular and pro-lifers in general. Additionally, every single prominent national pro-life group condemned Tiller's death in strong terms. However, following the murder of Jim Pouillon, all of the major national pro-abortion groups were completely silent, seeming to prove that they only care about the murder of abortionists. President Barack Obama took his time about making a statement, issuing a few curt and unemotional words two days after Jim's murder. By contrast, his statement about the killing of George Tiller was much longer and forceful, and was delivered as soon as possible after the abortionist's death. Once Again, the Media Shows Its Bias As always, pro-lifers could depend upon the media to show its monolithic bias and hatred of the pro-life message. Whereas the murder of George Tiller was picked up instantly by the national media, it took them several hours to get around to Jim's murder, and even then the event was soft-pedaled. Jim's name bubbled up to about halfway in the Google News search page for about three hours on the day he was murdered, and then disappeared completely. Tiller headed the page, on and off, for two solid weeks. In fact, some of the media went so far as to try to smear the dead pro-lifer by digging up dirt on him, something they would not dare to do to George Tiller. For example, the Flint Journal instantly devoted significant resources in its attempt to discredit Jim, and proudly reported on the same day he was murdered that he was guilty of such ghastly crimes as a housing code violation, a zoning violation, "disturbing a worker," and a pedestrian violation. Of course, the Urinal (as many locals call it) did not see fit to investigate the background of Drake's second victim, showing its bias. The paper also did not bother to investigate Drake's background. Other media outlets gave the distinct impression that Jim got what he deserved. A September 16 editorial in the Argus-Press said "We had to admire his persistence but did not admire his modus operandi. His sign, often accompanied by his shouting at passers-by, gave his cause, indeed his town of Owosso as well, a bad name." The Pro-Abortion Reaction: Hatred, as Always Naturally, pro-abortionists spewed their hatred of Jim, and did not see the irony in large pro-abortion groups claiming that "anti-choice hate speech leads to violence." Some of the comments from one blog; • • "It's-A Bout-Time" said that "Maybe the rest of these anti abortion nut-jobs will get a hint that people don't want to see these signs. I'm glad this kook is gone." "Dave Devilish" said that "Just consider it a retroactive abortion on another right wing whack job. No great loss. I bet he idolized Fred Phelps and the Westburrow [sic] whackos."

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Many “pro-choicers” believe that pro-life picketing should be a death penalty offense, as this comment on the murder of Jim Pouillon shows.

• •

"joe schmo" said that "I've never seen this man before, but I've seen others like him. The signs are so offensive that the issue becomes about the sign instead of being about abortion. He hurts the pro-life cause and I'm glad that he's gone." "Mi Hi" said "One less Democracy-hating fundie terrorist to put up with. Did they think Americans would just allow them to go around stalking & murdering people and not face the backlash? He was harassing schoolchildren, and he got what was coming to him."

Pro-lifer Jim Pouillon committing a death penalty offense, according to many “pro-choice” people.

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Drake's Trial and Verdict Drake showed little remorse during his March 2010 murder trial. He said that he "didn't feel bad" about murdering two men and also said that "I asked to see the autopsy reports so I could see what my aim was like." He told the Court that he likes to shoot and worked hard to improve his skills. He also said that he made certain each victim did not suffer by shooting each man several times. On March 11, 2010, a jury found Drake guilty of two counts of first-degree murder. The members of the jury could have opted to find Drake guilty, guilty but mentally ill, not guilty, not guilty by reason of insanity, or guilty of the lesser charge of second-degree murder. References: Steven Ertelt. "Hours After Shooting of Elderly Pro-Life Man, Key Abortion Advocates Silent." LifeNews, September 11, 2009 [NOTE: some local chapters of these pro-abortion groups did indeed comment on Jim's murder. For example, Lori Lamerand, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood East Central Michigan, did say that "We want to be very clear that we have no idea if this was related to his views, but Planned Parenthood would never condone any sort of violence against anyone, regardless of their views"]; Elizabeth Shaw and Dean Bohn. "Homicide Victim James Pouillon had Extensive Background of Civil Violations, Many Related to Anti-Abortion Protests." The Flint Journal, September 11, 2009 [one Web response said "Thank you for providing us with an article that is as well written as it is relevant. I am looking forward to a feature story on this in Sunday's paper. Could you include the murdered victim's favorite pop and sports team? These are details that readers must have in order to reach their conclusions on what really happened this morning. Thank you, CC." Another said "I assume that Ms. Shaw and Mr. Bohn will be posting records of the sexual exploits of rape victims next?"]; Steven Ertelt. "Pro-Abortion Man Who Shot Pro-Life Advocate Jim Pouillon Attempts Suicide." LifeNews, September 14, 2009; "Trial Starts Tuesday in Activist Murder." WWJ 950 News Radio [Detroit, Michigan], February 22, 2010; Laura Angus. "Harlan Drake Testifies that He Asked to See Victims' Autopsy Reports, Finishes Testimony in Murder Trial." Flint Journal, March 9, 2010; Laura Angus. "Harlan Drake Found Guilty of First-Degree Murder in Shiawassee County Slayings of Pro-Life Activist, Business Owner." Flint Journal, March 11, 2010. Felony Assault On November 18, 1994, an undercover police officer observed a pro-abortionist intentionally swerve his car toward pro-lifers holding picket signs. Reference: Police report, Owosso Police Department, April 20, 1993.

Pontiac, Michigan
Second-Degree Murder Lawyer Michael Fletcher was having an affair with Warren District Judge Susan Chrzanowski. Fletcher's wife Leann was pregnant, and he saw her pregnancy as a threat to his adultery. So, on August 16, 1999, he shot his pregnant wife to death and tried to make it look like a suicide. Fletcher was charged with first-degree murder. In June 2000, Oakland Circuit Judge Jessica Cooper dismissed the charge of causing a miscarriage or still birth. After a trial that was broadcast nationwide by

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Court TV, a jury found him guilty of second-degree murder in the killing of his wife. Judge Cooper said to him, "You have monstrous arrogance thinking you could get away with this. In all my years on the bench, I don't think I've seen a crime so incredibly cold-blooded or heartless. The jury didn't buy your story, and neither do I." Fletcher's murderous activities were so lurid that author Tom Henderson wrote a book about them: A Deadly Affair [New York City: St. Martin's, 2001]. References: Joel Curth. "Fletcher Case Charge is Dropped: Causing Death of Unborn Child Dismissed by Judge, But Charge of Killing Wife Stays." The Detroit News, June 21, 2000. An extremely detailed account of the murder, nearly 50 pages long, can be found in the Crime Library on TruTV at http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/index.html.

― End of Michigan Listing ―
(updated May 26, 2011)

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