Defense Rests in Gosnell Trial with No Witnesses

The defense for the “House of Horrors” abortionist Dr. Kermit Gosnell has rested without calling a single witness, including Gosnell himself, on his behalf.

According to LifeNews.com, Joseph Slobodzian of the Philadelphia Inquirer said the defense concluded today without Gosnell taking the stand and with Gosnell’s attorney, Jack McMahon (pictured), offering little in his defense.

Slobodzian reports:

After five weeks of prosecution evidence, the defense in the murder trial of West Philadelphia abortion doctor Kermit Gosnell ended abruptly today with the 72-year-old doctor not testifying and his lawyer presenting no witnesses.

He earlier reported:

When the trial resumes this afternoon, Gosnell attorney Jack McMahon begins his case but sources familiar with the trial say Gosnell will not testify and McMahon will present no other witnesses.

“All things will be revealed,” McMahon joked to reporters after the trial broke for a lunch recess.

If sources are correct, the evidentiary phase would end and the Common Pleas Court jury of seven women and five men would return Monday for closing arguments.

On Tuesday, McMahon asked the judge to drop three of the charges for murder. The judge agreed, stating that there was not sufficient evidence to convict Gosnell of those murders. Another charge of infanticide was also dropped. One of the dropped charges involves a 28-week-old baby whose remains were kept in an abortion clinic freezer.

On Wednesday, Common pleas court Judge Jeffrey Minehart said he “erred” when dropping the murder charge for the baby known as “Baby C,” who was allegedly killed in an abortion-infanticide when Gosnell attempted to abort him, but was then tossed into a shoe box when it was discovered he was born alive.

In the end, Gosnell is charged with four counts of first-degree murder in the killing of infants prosecutors allege were born alive during late-term abortions. He is also charged with third-degree murder in the 2009 death of a Virginia woman allegedly administered too much Demerol before an abortion procedure.

Gosnell’s co-defendant Eileen O’Neill, an unlicensed doctor who worked in the family practice section of Gosnell’s Women’s Medical Society clinic, also made the decision not to testify, after her attorney completed calling 13 witnesses.

Minehart told the jury of seven women and five men to return to court on Monday, when closing arguments will be heard. If the jury finds Gosnell guilty, he could face the death penalty.