For Immediate Release

February 2, 2011

As African-American pastors in Delaware, we were shocked to learn that Dr. Kermit Gosnell was indicted on seven counts of first-degree murder for severing the spines of infants born alive after late-term abortions at his clinic in Philadelphia.

Prosecutors say that "many hundreds" of babies were born alive, then killed by Dr. Gosnell and his staff. Most of these babies were African American. This went on for 15 years, despite 15 malpractice lawsuits, two maternal deaths, and uncounted complaints from women who had abortions at the squalid facility.

The 260-page Grand Jury report, download-able here, detailed the horrors that desperate women faced at the clinic and offers an explanation for why they went on so long.

"We think the reason no one acted is because the women in question were poor and of color," the Grand Jury report said, "and because the victims were infants without identities, and because the subject was the political football of abortion."

The Pennsylvania Governor's spokesperson admitted that the facility had not been inspected in 15 years.

Saturday's News Journal brought the story home to Delaware when it reported that Dr. Gosnell and Lynda Williams, who was also indicted on murder charges, worked at Atlantic Women's Medical Services (AWMS) on Baynard Blvd. in Wilmington. Dr. Gosnell performed abortions there until 2009.

And reading the Grand Jury's report, we learned on page 100 that, in the case of Sue and Baby A, one of the murdered babies, the abortion procedure was initiated in Wilmington at AWMS.

Sue's great aunt paid Gosnell $2,500 in cash at the Atlantic clinic in Wilmington, DE. Gosnell apparently initiated the procedure to loosen Sue's cervix at the Wilmington clinic and told Sue and her great aunt to report to Philadelphia at 9 am the following morning. The Grand Jury has evidence of at least six patients were treated at AWMS, then had abortions at Gosnell's clinic.

In Delaware, African-American women are victims of abortion at twice the rate of white and Hispanic women. Lack of access to healthcare, financial problems, and lack of personal support all contribute to the prevalence of abortion in our community. Nationally, almost half of all African-American babies are aborted.

To safeguard women in our community, we seek action from law enforcement in Delaware.

As previously mentioned, the Grand Jury reported that one of the murdered babies, Baby A, had his abortion initiated at AWMS, apparently illegally. Two of the people indicted for murder in the deaths of born-alive infants worked at AWMS. Investigative reporting by the News Journal revealed that the owner of AWMS also owns a clinic in Louisiana that has been fined $337,000 for violations relating to the health and safety of women in its care.

We congratulate Attorney General Beau Biden for his announced investigation of AWMS. To ensure the safety of Delaware women and their children, we urge US Attorney Charles Oberly to mount an immediate investigation of AWMS to learn whether doctors there have violated the Federal Born Alive Infants ProtectionAct. We would like to meet with both Biden and Oberly as soon as possible to learn what they are doing to protect our community.

Finally, given Attorney General Biden's concern for women and children, we are confident that he will use his power to safeguard women by ensuring that all laws regulating ambulatory surgical centers are enforced for abortion clinics, as well.

Rev. Dr. Christopher Bullock

Canaan Baptist Church

New Castle,  DE

Apostle J. T. Graham

Temple United Church

Wilmington, DE

Rev. Dr. Clifford Johnson

Shiloh Baptist Church

Wilmington, DE

Rev. Aaron Moore

Manna Christian Fellowship Church

Wilmington, DE

Bishop Aretha E. Morton

Tabernacle Full Gospel Baptist Cathedral

Wilmington, DE

Rev. Lorraine Dryden

Spirit of Life Lutheran Church

Wilmington, DE

Rev. Clarence Pettit

Spirit of Life Lutheran

Wilmington, DE

Fr. John Frambes

St. Joseph Church

Wilmington, DE

###

Contact Information:

302-489-9096