Clear Channel billboard 2 12 Rts 1 9

 Authorities: N.J. abortion doctor charged with murder
Published: Friday, December 30, 2011, 11:10 AM Updated: Friday, December 30, 2011, 11:42 AM
By The Associated Press The Associated Press

ELKTON, Md. — Two doctors accused of performing late-term abortions in Maryland, including one in which a woman was critically injured, have been arrested and charged with murder.

Dr. Steven Brigham, of Voorhees, N.J., was arrested Wednesday night in New Jersey and was being held in the Camden County Jail on Thursday, police told The Cecil Whig newspaper. Authorities also arrested Dr. Nicola Irene Riley, of Salt Lake City, Utah, on Wednesday night. Riley was being held in the Salt Lake City Jail. Both are awaiting an extradition hearing (http://tinyurl.com/6oh6zpo).

Investigators with the Elkton Police Department say they asked police in New Jersey and Utah to arrest the doctors after a Cecil County grand jury handed up indictments against Brigham and Riley earlier Wednesday, capping a 16-month-long investigation.

Police say they began their investigation on in August 2010 after a botched procedure at Brigham’s Elkton clinic. Authorities say an 18-year-old woman who was 21 weeks pregnant had her uterus ruptured and her bowel injured, and rather than call 911, Brigham and his colleague Dr. Nicola Riley drove the woman to a nearby hospital, where both were uncooperative and Brigham refused to give his name.

That incident resulted in the murder case against Riley and three of the 11 murder charges against Brigham, prosecutors said. The other charges against Brigham relate to four other illegal abortions he performed at the East High Street Clinic, prosecutors added.

A search of the Elkton clinic after the botched abortion revealed a freezer with 35 late-term fetuses inside, including one believed to have been aborted at 36 weeks.

Brigham started the late-term abortions in New Jersey, where he wasn’t permitted to perform them, and finished them a day later in Maryland, where the law is more permissive, authorities said.

Police say Brigham faces five counts each of first- and second-degree murder. Riley is charged with one count each of first- and second-degree murder. Brigham and Riley each also face one count of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder.

————————————————————————————

 

UMDNJ, 12 nurses settle lawsuit claiming they were forced to assist with abortions

Published: Thursday, December 22, 2011, 8:15 PM Updated: Friday, December 23, 2011, 5:55 AM

By Seth Augenstein/The Star-Ledger The Star-Ledger

 

Jennifer Brown/The Star-LedgerTwelve nurses sued the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey over being forced to assist in abortions. They settled in federal court today.

NEWARK — A dozen nurses who sued the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey for having to assist patients who get abortions reached a settlement with their employer in federal court yesterday.

The nurses will keep their jobs at the same-day surgery unit at University Hospital in Newark but won’t have to assist in any abortion cases, including taking blood pressure readings or even writing down the patients’ names. The only exception will be for medical emergencies, which will be determined by medical staff in the unit, the agreement stipulates.

Lawyers for the nurses called the settlement a victory.

“The hospital has agreed that pro-life nurses do not have to assist abortion cases,” said Matt Bowman, an attorney with Alliance Defense Fund, an Arizona-based Christian nonprofit group.

UMDNJ attorneys said the settlement was the best way to continue treating patients.

“The hospital’s very pleased it’s resolved,” said Edward B. Deutsch, a Morristown attorney representing the school.

“We accomplished the goal that we wanted to accomplish,” said John Peirano, another UMDNJ lawyer. “I think it’s a good resolution for both sides.”

After the agreement was reached, two of the nurses said they were concerned about reprisals — especially because the school hired additional nurses earlier this month.

“I’m still scared for the situation — that they’ve hired four nurses and that we may be surplus,” said Fe Esperanza-Racpan Vinoya.

“We want to keep the channels open (with the judge),” added Beryl Otieno Ngoje, another of the plaintiff nurses.

The nurses filed suit Oct. 31, saying UMDNJ’s policy changes were forcing them to treat patients despite their religious objections.

UMDNJ said it was not forcing the nurses to directly participate in any abortions and argued they were protesting against having to do routine patient care before and after procedures — estimating that was some 15 percent of their overall job responsibilities. The school also estimated it would cost the hospital $280,000 to replace the nurses with per diem care, court papers said.

While the suit was pending, UMDNJ hired the four nurses to give pre- and post-abortion care to patients.

The American Civil Liberties Union, which was not a party to the suit, said it was concerned about a growing number of similar cases around the country. The ACLU sees an effort to use religion to discriminate in a health care context.

“No one should ever have to worry about facing discrimination when they check into the hospital,” said Brigitte Amiri, an attorney with the ACLU’s Reproductive Freedom Project. “No woman should have to fear that medical staff will place ideology over duty or deny her care.”

U.S. District Judge Jose Linares in Newark said he would continue to monitor the situation to make sure the spirit of the agreement — reached after several hours of negotiation — would be followed.

“Agreements like this, in cases like this, are not easy, because of the emotions involved,” Linares said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Greetings to all visitors to the Life Education Council’s new website!

Please link to our December fundraising letter found on the home page.  It gives information for contributing to our baby-saving efforts.

God bless!

A “Choose Life” banner hanging from the entrance gate at Seton Hall University is causing some controversy on the Catholic campus.

The banner which was put up midway through October in honor of Respect for Life month shows a picture of a mother kissing a newborn baby with the words “Choose Life” followed by the phone number 1-800-848-Life for a pro-life help hot line. Father Stanley Gomes, director of Campus Ministry, told the Cardinal Newman Society he intends to keep the banner up for two more weeks.

But the student newspaper The Setonian says the banner has elicited “mixed reviews,” even quoting one student who said, “We are a college whose primary focus should be about providing a quality education to its students, not making a bold political statement before prospective students and families can even drive inside the gates and see what we have to offer.”

In an interview with the Cardinal Newman Society, Fr. Gomes said he is aware of the controversy. “You see, even at a Catholic university like this one, students and even some intellectuals are not clear why we would put something like this up,” he said. “They think it’s a political statement. That’s how the world sees it but our idea is to celebrate life.”

Fr. Gomes said, “Some of the negative comments are that it’s an institution of learning, and they’re asking why are you making a political statement. But some students say it’s about time that we should celebrate our identity as a Catholic university and we should do this stuff more.”

Fr. Gomes said he expects more negative responses but he is undeterred. “I’m not afraid. We’re Catholic people. God loving. People loving people,” he said. “Even those who oppose us, we embrace them all.”
The University began honoring this month on the first Sunday of October with a special prayer during the day’s masses.

Fr. Gomes said he sees he believes good will come of the banner for those who support it and even those who don’t.  “This is a very pro-woman, pro-motherhood banner,” he said. “As an institution of higher learning we need to face complicated matters. We need to face touchy matters. Students need to be given the chance to deal with life’s difficult issues, to face challenges of the world. Bringing our faith and reason together helps us act as an intellectual and faithful member of the church.”

NJRPLC recently purchased Choose Life banners for the Students for Life chapters at The College of New Jersey and Princeton University.

The ProLife banners are a statewide effort by NJ Life Education Council and NJ Family Policy Council (see article below). The banners include a hotline for use by women facing a crisis pregnancy.

In September, Princeton University students displayed the banner at a protest outside of a Planned Parenthood fundraiser hosted by abortion advocate Gloria Steinem.

It started as a simple way to commemorate Respect Life Month. Now, it has turned into the most popular ProLife effort since the March for Life. The Choose Life banners and lawn signs, sponsored by Life Education Council and NJ Family Policy Council, are showing up in the farthest reaches of New Jersey and beyond. With distribution having begun in September, there are now over 60 banners and 90 lawn signs on display at churches, schools, meeting halls, and at prayer vigils outside abortion mills.

The 6 x 9 ft, professionally designed and constructed banners appear at 40 Days for Life demonstrations and have become a fixture at student forums at such universities as Fordham, Seton Hall, Felician College and The College of NJ. When Students for Life of America rallied Princeton students to protest a Planned Parenthood fundraiser featuring Gloria Steinem, the Princeton students showed up waving the Choose Life banner. On October 29th, when the Diocese of Metuchen held its Life Issues Conference, hundreds of attendees were greeted with the Choose Life banner. The Diocese is encouraging its parishes to display the banner.

The banners and lawn signs are seen in every county in NJ, with some showing up in New York City and as far away as Zionsville, Indiana.

“The enthusiasm for the banners and lawn signs blew us away,” explains NJRPLC Vice-Chairwoman Betty LaRosa, who is also a LEC Trustee. “Grassroots pro-lifers have been waiting for something they could personally do to stop abortions. It’s not abstract. It’s concrete. And it’s now.”

It’s “now” because on the banners and lawn signs is an 800 help line number that directs pregnant women to the nearest crisis pregnancy center.

The hotline is receiving dozens of calls every month from women in need,” explains LaRosa. “With the banners and lawn signs showing up and staying up, every month will be Respect Life Month.” For more information about obtaining a banner or lawn sign at little or no cost, contact Betty LaRosa at bettylarosa1@comcast.net or visit LEC’s website: www.lifeeducationcouncil.org.

Thank you for your visit. We look forward to bringing you news about the pro-life movement.