Philly.com is reporting that lawyers arguing the case for and against West Philadelphia abortionist Kermit Gosnell, on trial for the murder of a woman and seven infants born alive after abortion, nearly came to blows on Monday over "Baby Boy B", a 28 week-old baby who was found frozen in a one-gallon water jug in Gosnell's clinic.
Gosnell lawyer Jack McMahon asked Medical Examiner Sam Gulino if he could testify that Baby Boy B had been born alive. When Gulino said he could not, Assistant District Attorney Edward Cameron then asked if he could think of any other reason why the baby's neck would be severed if he had not been born alive. Again, Gulino said he could not, an answer that caused Gosnell's lawyer to angrily interrupt, only to be reprimanded by Common Pleas Court Judge Jeffrey P. Minehart.
It was just one of several explosive moments in the trial which is in its third week.
Gulino's testimony continued as he addressed the task of examining the remains of 47 frozen babies that were discovered during a February 18, 2010 raid of Gosnell's clinic.
"This was something that in 15 to 16 years . . . I had never been asked to do," Gulino testified. "There was no guidance on how to proceed," he said, and spoke about turning to fellow coroners and forensic pathologists about how to examine the remains which were stored in red and blue plastic bags in Gosnell's freezer.
He finally opted to let them slowly thaw, then examined the remains which were found to be babies ranging in age from 12 to 24 weeks with two being beyond the 24-week limit for legal abortions in Pennsylvania.
Gulino described some of the remains to be stored in plastic water or juice containers, as well as in cat and dog food containers.
This wasn't the only grisly find that was discussed during the trial. Former employees testified last week about the 30 specimen jars containing tiny baby feet that Gosnell kept in the clinic. They said he told them he was saving the specimens for DNA testing or for medical research.
As to why he kept so many babies frozen in his freezer, Gosnell told his staff that he was in a dispute with the medical waste disposal firm and was keeping the remains frozen until a resolution could be reached.
The prosecution is expected to rest its case this week and will be followed by the defense which will argue its case for several more weeks.
If convicted, Gosnell could be sentenced to death.
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