Thursday September 23, 2010
More Charges against Dangerous New Jersey Abortionist
By Thaddeus M. Baklinski
PISCATAWAY, New Jersey, September 23, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The New Jersey attorney general's office has filed documents containing new accusations against Dr. Steven Brigham, saying he violated standards of care for two women seeking abortions at his clinics.
In one case Brigham allegedly performed an abortion on a 35-year-old woman from Canada who was 33 weeks pregnant and whose child was reportedly diagnosed with Down syndrome.
New Jersey law requires doctors performing late-term abortions (after 21 weeks gestation) to seek permission from the state medical board and to carry out the abortion in a hospital or licensed ambulatory care facility.
The new accusations filed by state Attorney General Paula Dow indicate Brigham allegedly initiated the abortion in one of his New Jersey offices and then told the woman to drive herself to Maryland, where the procedure was completed.
Brigham, who according to the attorney general's documents is not trained as a gynecologist and obstetrician and does not have admitting privileges at any New Jersey hospital, is not authorized to perform second or third-trimester abortions in New Jersey. Neither is he licensed to practice medicine in Maryland.
The New Jersey attorney general's office is seeking to have Brigham's license suspended or revoked following investigation of earlier accusations of "gross negligence." In a severely botched abortion performed on an 18-year-old, Brigham lacerated the girl's bowel and vagina. She was flown to Johns Hopkins hospital in Baltimore to undergo emergency surgery, where doctors filed a complaint against the abortionist.
Brigham has been under investigation and discipline throughout his entire 20-year career. He voluntarily retired his medical license in Pennsylvania while under investigation just six years after graduating from medical school. Since then, Brigham had medical licenses revoked in New York and Florida, and received disciplinary action in California and New Jersey. He served 120 days in jail in 1998 for Medicaid fraud.
A call to the Attorney General's office in New Jersey for further information on the Canadian woman involved with Brigham was not returned by press time.
See previous LSN coverage:
New Jersey Right to Life Warned of Interstate Abortionist Caught after Severely Botched Abortion
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2010/sep/10091010.html
Maryland Orders Dangerous Abortionist to Stop Practicing Illegally
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2010/sep/10090104.html
‘Partial Victory for Life’ as Pennsylvania Abortionist Shuts Down Two Clinics
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2010/jul/10072306.html
Health Order Shuts Down Pennsylvania Abortion Clinics
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2010/jul/10072212.html