A Criminal Butcher and Legal Butchery

On April 15, 1932, Ruth Hall became one in a string of dead women blamed on Oklahoma City abortionist Dr. Richard E. Thacker (pictured). During the trial, and over Thacker's understandable, albeit unsustainable, objections, the court permitted a number of witnesses to testify that after Ruth's visit to his practice, Thacker had performed fatal abortions on Robbie Lou Thompson, Lennis May Roach, and Nancy Joe Seay Lee. The witnesses went into detail about the events, up to and including the death of each of them. It's all a sordid story, and you can click on Ruth's name to learn more.

Life Dynamics lists 16-year-old Maureen Espinoza on their "Blackmun Wall" of women killed by legal abortions. Citing an article in the San Antonio Express-News dated April 24, 1997, LDI notes that Maureen's abortion was performed at a doctor's office in San Antonio on March 28, 1997. The abortionist punctured Maureen's uterus, but took no note of the complication. Maureen was admitted through the emergency room at NE Baptist Hospital on April 3. She underwent two surgeries to try to save her life, but died on April 15, 1997.