NBC TV 25 in Flint, MI, ran a remarkable 2-part, back-to-back exposé on May 24 fairly detailing the merits of a lawsuit filed against late-term abortionist Alberto Hodari by former patient Caitlin Bruce, a story we've been following for some time.
In Part I, note how the story opens with an interesting turn on words, that Hodari "violated [Bruce's] right to choice" - by forcibly aborting her. Also note, as Citizen for a Pro-Life Society's Monica Miller wrote in an email, "The child is never called a "fetus"!
Jill notes that Hodari has pulled a Polanski in that he's conveniently out of the country when he's in deep doo-doo. But he did talk to the news people over the phone. His excuses sound pretty lame to me, though I'm sure OC is pumping his fist and shouting, "Preach it, brother!"
For example, in this next news clip Hodari tries to claim his now infamous "license to lie" quip made during his 2007 Wayne State University speech was only about life or death situations: "Never tell a patient, especially a woman, you're going to die. And in that respect, yes, we lie," he told the reporter.
So many things wrong with that, where to start?
First, the sexism: "especially a woman"? Excuse me? And that coming from an ob/gyn? 2nd, just how much experience does Hodari have treating dying patients? 3rd, as a matter of fact, medical professionals are typically not supposed to lie to dying patients about their status, particularly if they are asking.
4th, the original context of Hodari's "license to lie" statement indicates it had nothing to do with dying patients: "My wife says we doctors have a license to lie [audience laughs], and it's true, it's absolutely true. Sometimes you need to lie to a patient about things they want to do or no, much less now than in the past."
Jill closes with an excerpt of an email she got from a woman who reports a similar experience at Hodari's hand -- changing her mind and being held down and forcibly aborted anyway. These stories aren't unique. I have a page of tales of unwanted abortions, including:
The news coverage also ignores Hodari's background, including the deaths of Tamiia Russell and Chivon Williams, as well as his membership in the National Abortion Federation.
Well I'm not gonna defend this guy Dr. Hodari, because his actions since this stuff started have been pretty suspicious.
ReplyDeleteBUT, if a patient changes her mind AFTER you have started the surgery, you cannot just stop the surgery and let the patient go. You have to finish the surgery once you have begun it, or else it is dangerous for the patient. You can't let someone go walking around with a half-completed surgery.
This patient was sedated, under twighlight anaesthesia, when she began complaining. There's no reason to believe her testimony is accurate.
Hodari has a sordid record:
ReplyDeleteAbortion practitioner Alberto Hodari was fined $10,000 in 2009, by a state board in connection with a woman's botched abortion death (source). Also Hodari was implicated in the death of Tamia Russell, a 15 years old girl who died in January of 2004, after an abortion at over 26 weeks gestation. The abortion was arrainged by her boyfriend's sister and paid for by her 24 yrs old boyfriend, who paid Hodari $2,000 in cash. Tamia died from complications of the abortion less than 24 hours after the procedure at Hodari's Womancare clinic of Southfield/Lathrup Village (source). More recently, a lawsuit filed January 28, 2010, is accusing Hodari of assault and battery for committing a intrauterine abortion on a woman who was actually carrying an ectopic (tubal) pregnancy. Hodari and the clinic failed to inform the woman of the ectopic pregnancy and to properly treat the ectopic pregnancy, instead preforming an unncessary intrauterine abortion (source). Hodari and/or his Womancare clinic have a number of lawsuits against them: http://www.voicesforwomen.org/Hodari.html. All cases can be accessed by visiting the county’s circuit court office (from which the case was filed), just present the case number. Current Oakland County files may be sent to a personal e-mail address for a charge of $1 per a page at:
www.oakgov.com/clerkrod/courtexplorer/index.html