Republicans Call for Murder Charges in Botched Abortion

Nearly two and half years ago, New Times covered the story of a botched abortion which resulted in a live birth. Belkis Gonzalez, the owner of the Hialeah clinic, cut the umbilical cord after staff started screaming that the child was alive, she then sealed the child in a bio-hazard bag and through it in the trash. The doctor who was supposed to perform the operation failed to show up on time, and the live birth was endued by drugs designed to dilate the cervix.

Last week, the doctor in the case had his license revoked. This (and a link to the story on the Drudge Report), brought the story back in to national attention. Now, Republicans in the Florida legislature are calling for murder charges.

"Anything less than murder charges being filed is unacceptable," said House Majority Leader Adam Hasner in a press release.

Murder charges were considered when Gonzalez was arrested in 2007, but ultimately she was only charged with other abortion related felonies, and with practicing medicine with out a license.

Pro-Lifers are eager to reignite the story almost two and half years after the fact to make a case for stricter abortion limits. Perhaps, though, if we had better access to health care, young women wouldn't be forced to turn to shady, for-profit abortion clinics in their second trimester. Just saying.