Closing arguments in the Gosnell murder trial

April 29, 2013 / Written By /

Kimberly Guilfoyle returns to the Philadelphia courthouse where closing arguments in the Gosnell murder trial are set.

She will be live-blogging the latest details as this case comes to a close.

2:20: P.M.

From Philly Inquirer contact - defense closing ended at 1:50 P.M. - all told his closing arguments lasted 2 hours and 15 minutes.

He implored the jury to acquit Gosnell and again went back to his favorite line instructing jury not to get swept up by a "tsunami of hype."

Prosecution will begin at 2:45 P.M. with Assistant DA Edward Cameron closing - at this pace jury likely gets case Tuesday afternoon.

2:00 P.M.

Gosnell Defense Attorney Jack McMahon ended defense of four first degree murder charges involving the babies at 1:20 P.M. - was still on Mongar defense when we left at 1:40 P.M.

Some more highlights: Used the word "tsunami" to describe the effect the media and prosecution have started up - says witnesses who testified against it merely got caught in the giant wave.

McMahon was spirited but a little sloppy because he was switching between "baby" and "fetus" pretty casually throughout his close.

Described a baby moving its arm as just a "spasm" - went on to say Gosnell referred to it merely as a "last reflex" and evidence the abortion was successful and not a live birth.

1:10 P.M

Attorney Jack McMahon opened defense for Gosnell at 11:30 A.M. -- buttered up jury right off the bat, praised them for their civic duty -- noted it's not their job to find Gosnell innocent but rather that the prosecutors didn't prove him to be guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

He said none of us know exactly what happened in the clinic even though the grand jury report and 7 weeks of testimony said otherwise.

Says this case is not a referendum on abortion, so advises staying away from that thought. Said the case is messy and ugly and callously compares the abortions to his knee surgery.

Says the prosecution’s case has been simplistic and the media and political punditry have been engaged in a witch hunt.

Says the government has tried to manipulate jury, media and political observers and that's it.

Says that the government case against Gosnell is rooted in racism - there were tons of abortion clinics like his and the government targets his because he's black.

Judge allowed McMahon to continue on line of argument that wasn’t submitted as testimony even after prosecution raised questions.

Will report a bit more when we leave.


11:15 A.M.

Packed courtroom. They are doing defense first, that's the law in PA. O'Neill and now Jack McMahon, Defense Attorney for Gosnell speaking -- prosecution go last.

So far, the closing arguments for the 2nd defendant Eileen O'Neill are all we have gotten.

We will see McMahon who will lead the Gosnell defense next... of interest is the Eileen O'Neill defense seems to seek a clear division from Gosnell.

Defense noted on multiple ocassions that Gosnell and O'Neill worked on different floors, were rarely in the same room together, etc.

So that's 8 other co-defendants who already plead out of the case by testifying against Gosnell and the one who didn't having her defense create a line.