1985: Second death for erstwhile back-alley abortionist

Eighteen-year-old Yvonne Corrie Mesteth was the second of two patients to die of infection after safe and legal abortions by South Dakota abortionist Benjamin Munson. Munson's career as an abortionist had begun in the "worst of times", prior to legalization, but there is no evidence that any of his "back alley" patients died under his care.

Yvonne was in the second trimester of her pregnancy. The abortion ws performed in Munson's office in Rapid City. Yvonne developed an infection, kidney failure, and adult respiratory distress syndrome. She died on July 27, 1985.

Munson is the third former criminal abortionist I've learned of who had a clean record -- no patient deaths -- as a criminal abortionist, only to go on to kill two patients in his legal practice. The others are Milan Vuitch (Georgianna English and Wilma Harris) and Jesse Ketchum (Margaret Smith and Carole Schaner).

Despite having already killed Linda Padfield shortly after his practice was granted legal protection, Munson was welcomed into the National Abortion Federation, and allowed to remain a member after Yvonne's death.

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Sorry, Tlaloc, this guy screwed up. As did the jury.

Benjamin Munson was tried for manslaughter in the abortion death of 28-year-old Linda Padfield in 1973. Munson had performed the safe and legal abortion on Linda on June 15 at his South Dakota abortion facility. He discharged her, and she later was hospitalized. She finally died of massive infection on June 18.

A pathologist found the remains of a five-month fetus in Linda's uterus, missing a leg, arm, part of its skull and part of its torso. The retained fetus caused the massive infection that had killed Linda.

Munson sued to enjoin prosecution, but the case went to court nevertheless.

The prosecution focused on the fact that infection will inevitably result from that much retained tissue. The Attorney General commented, "You take a three-inch leg off something, you have to know that there's more in there than just the leg."

The defense, however, argued that infection is an accepted risk of abortion, and that the state couldn't prove that Munson meant to harm Linda. The jury bought it, and Munson was aquitted. He later became a member of the National Abortion Federation (NAF). In 1985, he sent a teenage patient, Yvonne Mesteth, home with retained tissue. She, like Linda Padfield, died of infection. Again Munson was prosecuted for manslaughter, and again he beat the rap.

For the benefit of those readers who happen to be Tlaloc, here's one where I think the jury had their heads right up their asses -- just like the Tiller jury. As the prosecutor said, "You take a three-inch leg off something, you have to know that there's more in there than just the leg." Munson left more of the fetus in Linda's body than he took out. And it wasn't like this was a tiny first-trimester fetus that gets pureed in the process of being removed, where it might be tough to tell if a part you can't find in the petri dish is still in the uterus, or was shredded beyond recognition while being removed. Given the condition and age of Linda's fetus, this was a D&E abortion, where you reach in and grab parts and pull them off. If you've pulled off one arm and one leg, logic tells you there's still another arm and another leg in there. If you only get a chunk of skull and torso, logic tells you there's got to be more of the skull and torso still in there. Munson had to have known he was leaving more fetus in there than he was taking out. And he had to have known he'd taken off enough of the fetus that it was quite dead and going to rot, with the attendant risk to Linda of infection and hemorrhage.

What reason could Munson have had for leaving the bulk of the mutilated fetus in Linda's uterus? It does say in every text and article about performing abortions that you're supposed to make sure you get the entire fetus, along with all of the placenta, out of the uterus, because of the risk of potentially fatal infection and hemorrhage, so this isn't like Tiller where there's really no book that specifically says, "Three days in a motel room with a rotting fetus in your uterus isn't recommended for women suffering X complication of pregnancy." The books were all on the prosecutor's side here. The medical journals were all on the prosecutor's side here. But evidently Munson got a jury of people disposed to forgive reckless endangerment. Maybe they were habitual drunk drivers themselves and figured it'd be bad karma to slap somebody else for being reckless with somebody else's life. Maybe they were all, like Tlaloc, inclined to figure that whatever an abortionist does, since he's an abortionist he must have had a very good reason for doing it. Whatever the case, their failure to hold Munson accountable for what he did to Linda Padfield left him free to kill Yvonne Mesteth. Nice work, jurors.

On another tack, Munson is the third former criminal abortionist I've learned of who had a clean record -- no patient deaths -- as a criminal abortionist, only to go on to kill two patients in his legal practice. The others are Milan Vuitch (Georgianna English and Wilma Harris) and Jesse Ketchum (Margaret Smith and Carole Schaner).

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A woman and her vacuum technician

From Jivin' J:

A new bill has been introduced in South Dakota is aimed at Planned Parenthood’s practice of flying in abortionists. The bill would “require that a doctor performing an abortion in the state be available for a two-hour period on the day before the scheduled abortion for consultation with the patient in the same city where the abortion will be performed.

In other words, South Dakota is insisting that abortion supporters actually put into practice the whole "doctor" part of abortion supposedly being a decision "between a woman and her doctor".

Though, frankly, I don't like this approach. After all, the circuit rider isn't the woman's doctor. The circuit rider is some abortionist who has been brought in to simply vacuum out whichever wombs he or she is presented with, no questions asked, and never see the woman again.

The requirement should be that when the whole "woman and her doctor" choice is made, it's actually her doctor -- her ob/gyn, her family doctor, her PCP, whatever. Somebody who knows, and presumable actually cares about, this woman.

The circuit rider should only be allowed to carry out the abortion if a doctor who knows and has a doctor/patient relationship with the woman has actually had a consultation with her and is able to state, clearly and in writing, why abortion is, in his clinical opinion, the best course of action for this patient. What other options were rejected and why.

After all, what other surgery is done based 100% on a self-referral, with no prior medical consultation? If abortion really is, as its supporters insist, just a perfectly ordinary and necessary medical procedure, then treat it like one and start requiring a referral and a reason other than "Patient thinks this procedure will improve her condition."

Two dead women aren't enough for NAF?

The National Abortion Federation is launching their South Dakota offensive. This is the same organization that let South Dakota abortionist Benjamin Munson -- a former criminal abortionist aka "back-alley butcher" -- become a member even after he'd sent Linda Padfield home to die, with most of her five-month fetus still rotting in her uterus. With the National Abortion Federation Seal of Approval, Munson did the same thing to 19-year-old Yvonne Mesteth.

But I guess in NAF's eyes, an abortion that leaves you dying a wretched death is better than no abortion at all!



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1985: Abortion by former back-alley butcher proves fatal for South Dakota teen

On July 27, 1985, 18-year-old Yvonne Corrie Mesteth became the second of two patients to die of infection after safe and legal abortions by South Dakota abortionist Benjamin Munson, member of the National Abortion Federation. (The other was Linda Padfield.)

Yvonne was in the second trimester of her pregnancy. The abortion was performed in Munson's office in Rapid City. Yvonne developed an infection, kidney failure, and finally the adult respiratory distress syndrome that was the final, fatal blow.



Munson is the third former criminal abortionist I've learned of who had a clean record -- no patient deaths -- as a criminal abortionist, only to go on to kill two patients in his legal practice. The others are Milan Vuitch (Georgianna English and Wilma Harris) and Jesse Ketchum (Margaret Smith and Carole Schaner).

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1973: Erstwhile back-alley butcher kills patient in safe, legal abortion

On June 18, 1973, 28-year-old Linda Padfield dies of massive infection in a South Dakota hospital. She had undergone a safe and legal abortion on June 15 at the newly decriminalized abortion facility of Dr. Benjamin Munson.

A pathologist found the remains of a five-month fetus in Linda's uterus, missing a leg, arm, part of its skull and part of its torso. The retained fetus caused the massive infection that had killed Linda. Munson was charged with manslaughter in Linda's death. He sued to enjoin prosecution, but the case went to court nevertheless.

The prosecution focused on the fact that infection will inevitably result from that much retained tissue. The Attorney General commented, "You take a three-inch leg off something, you have to know that there's more in there than just the leg."

The defense, however, argued that infection is an accepted risk of abortion, and that the state couldn't prove that Munson meant to harm Linda. The jury bought it, and Munson was aquitted. He later became a member of the National Abortion Federation (NAF). In 1985, he sent a teenage patient, Yvonne Mesteth, home with retained tissue. She, like Linda Padfield, died of infection. Again Munson was prosecuted for manslaughter, and again he beat the rap.



Munson is the third former criminal abortionist I've learned of who had a clean record -- no patient deaths -- as a "back alley butcher", only to go on to kill two patients in his legal practice. The others are Milan Vuitch (Georgianna English and Wilma Harris) and Jesse Ketchum (Margaret Smith and Carole Schaner).

For more abortion deaths, visit the Cemetery of Choice:



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Anniversary: One of two deaths after legal abortion by former criminal abortionist

Eighteen-year-old Yvonne Corrie Mesteth was the second of two patients to die of infection after abortions by South Dakota abortionist Benjamin Munson. (The other was Linda Padfield.) Yvonne was in the second trimester of her pregnancy. The abortion ws performed in Munson's office in Rapid City. Yvonne developed an infection, kidney failure, and adult respiratory distress syndrome. She died on July 27, 1985.

Munson is the third abortionist I know of who kept a clean record as a criminal abortionist, only to go on to kill two patients after legalization. The others are Jesse Ketchum (responsible for the deaths of Margaret Smith and Carole Schane) and Milan Vuitch (responsible for the deaths of Wilma Harris and Georgianna English).

Anniversary: Woman dies after abortion by hero doc

Benjamin Munson has been celebrated by abortion advocates for his willingness to be the only abortionist in South Dakota. He began doing abortions in 1967. He managed his illegal practice without any maternal fatalities. However, he was arrested in 1969 for performing an abortion on a 19-year-old patient. Munson challenged his conviction, winning in circuit court. The state appealed, and the South Dakota Supreme Court ruled against him. He appealed this decision, which was rendered moot by Roe vs. Wade, which freed him to practice without fear of prosecution. All should have been well.

Munson performed an abortion on 28-year-old Linda Padfield on June 15. He discharged her, and she later was hospitalized. She finally died of massive infection on June 13.

A pathologist found the remains of a five-month fetus in Linda's uterus, missing a leg, arm, part of its skull and part of its torso. The retained fetus caused the massive infection that had killed Linda.

Munson sued to enjoin prosecution for manslaughter, but the case went to court nevertheless.

The prosecution focused on the fact that infection will inevitably result from that much retained tissue. The Attorney General commented, "You take a three-inch leg off something, you have to know that there's more in there than just the leg."

The defense, however, argued that infection is an accepted risk of abortion, and that the state couldn't prove that Munson meant to harm Linda. The jury bought it, and Munson was aquitted. He later became a member of the National Abortion Federation (NAF). In 1985, he sent a teenage patient, Yvonne Mesteth, home with retained tissue. She, like Linda Padfield, died of infection. Again Munson was prosecuted for manslaughter, and again he beat the rap.

Abortion advocate needs to get facts straight

SaveRoe.com, a site run by Planned Parenthood, allowed this post to stand unchallenged and uncorrected, though to their (slight) credit it does have an "not verified" label:

There was only one doctor in South Dakota who would perform abortions before Roe v Wade. He was a kind, generous,caring doctor who put himself at risk to help women in need because he knew it was the right thing to do: his name was Dr. Benjamin Munson. He was tried for murder because a women who had to travel in secret to western SD/Rapid City for an abortion was afraid she would be prosecuted so she returned in secret to the eastern part of the state where she lived. She bled to death because it was illegal in those days to check into a clinic or hospital for the procedure and stay until you were sure that nothing was going to go wrong afterwards—she would have been prosecuted even for going to an emergency room for help after her abortion! This is a famous case in South Dakota.

Just before reading this post, I had learned that South Dakota's abortionist-in-residence, Benjamin Munson, had been arrested in 1969 on abortion charges. I thought that perhaps that this post meant that the charges stemmed from the death of a patient. However, upon researching Munson, I learned that the abortion charges were just that -- charges for performing an illegal abortion on a 19-year-old. The girl didn't die and Munson wasn't charged with murder.

But the person who wrote this post didn't just make something up out of thin air. Munson was prosecuted for the death of an abortion patient. It's just that our stalwart defender of "choice" didn't get his facts straight.

There was only one doctor in South Dakota who would perform abortions before Roe v Wade.... his name was Dr. Benjamin Munson.

This much is correct, but incomplete. Yes, Munson was the only confirmed abortionist in South Dakota before Roe. But he was also the only abortionist after Roe as well, until his retirement in 1986. So this person gives the false impression that what follows is a tale of the dark, dismal, wretched pre-Roe days.

He was tried for murder because a women who had to travel in secret to western SD/Rapid City for an abortion was afraid she would be prosecuted so she returned in secret to the eastern part of the state where she lived.

I can understand the person getting confused about what Munson was charged with. It was manslaughter, not murder, but close enough for pulling facts out of your head. I'll cut him some slack on that part. But why in the world would the woman fear she'd be prosecuted when abortion was legal? If she had the contacts to find Munson, she was enough on the ball to know that abortion was legal now, that Roe vs. Wade had struck down the abortion law.

She bled to death because it was illegal in those days to check into a clinic or hospital for the procedure and stay until you were sure that nothing was going to go wrong afterwards—she would have been prosecuted even for going to an emergency room for help after her abortion!

First of all, she didn't bleed to death. She died of sepsis. And she didn't die because it was illegal to check into a clinic or hospital. This took place after Roe. Munson could have performed her abortion in a hospital. He did perform it in a clinic. She died because Munson sent her home with a mutilated five-month fetus rotting in her body.

As for the claim that "she would have been prosecuted for even going to an emergency room for help after her abortion", that's patently false on three levels:

1. Women weren't prosecuted for undergoing illegal abortions before Roe in the first place. She'd have been pestered for the name of who it was that had so grievously injured her (Fancy that! The gall of wanting to know who it was who had injured a woman and put her in the hospital!) But she wouldn't have been prosecuted.

2. This happened after Roe anyway. She had nothing to fear whatsoever from going to a hospital. She'd not even have been pestered by the cops to turn in the man who'd harmed her.

3. She did go to a hospital, where doctors tried in vain to save her life.

This is a famous case in South Dakota.

How many other Clueless Clydes are there in South Dakota still insisting that Linda Padfield's death was from a clandestine, "back-alley abortion"?

By the way, this "hero" doctor also sent 18-year-old Yvonne Mesteth home to die of sepsis.

Why is it that even the rumor of an illegal death is an unacceptable tragedy, but there's no "safe and legal" death so horrible that it can't be shrugged off?

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"South Dakota Supreme Court, Abortion law 1972 Benjamin Munson"

The name Benjamin Munson immediately brings two other names to my mind -- the names of Linda Padfield and Yvonne Mesteth, who died of botched abortions under his dubious care.

There were no reported abortions in South Dakota prior to 1973, so I'm assuming abortion was illegal there.

Does anybody know any more about what this visitor might have been searching for?

UPDATE: Thanks to Tlaloc for providing this link:

Munson believed women had the right to safely end a pregnancy, and he risked his medical practice and well-being by performing abortions at a Rapid City clinic in the late 1960s. At the time, he was the only physician in the entire state willing to perform the procedure.

In 1969, Munson was arrested and charged with performing an illegal abortion. He won his case at the circuit court level, but the state appealed, and the South Dakota Supreme Court ruled against him. His case was still in appeals when the U.S. Supreme Court legalized abortion in 1973 with the Roe v. Wade case.

Does anybody see the irony of juxtaposing "Munson believed women had the right to safely end a pregnancy" with what he did to Linda and Yvonne?

Munson died on July 27 [2003?] of Alzheimer's disease. He was 87.

A commenter at the blog in question said that she'd befriended Munson in his old age and brought him to church. May he have repented before he went to meet his Maker.

ANOTHER UPDATE: I found this:

There was only one doctor in South Dakota who would perform abortions before Roe v Wade. He was a kind, generous,caring doctor who put himself at risk to help women in need because he knew it was the right thing to do: his name was Dr. Benjamin Munson. He was tried for murder because a women who had to travel in secret to western SD/Rapid City for an abortion was afraid she would be prosecuted so she returned in secret to the eastern part of the state where she lived. She bled to death because it was illegal in those days to check into a clinic or hospital for the procedure and stay until you were sure that nothing was going to go wrong afterwards—she would have been prosecuted even for going to an emergency room for help after her abortion! This is a famous case in South Dakota.

Does this mean that Munson's pre-Roe arrest involved the death of a patient?