Family Of Murdered Abortion Provider Tiller Announces Permanent Closure Of Clinic

Main Category: Abortion
Article Date: 11 Jun 2009 - 4:00 PDT

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The family of murdered Kansas abortion provider George Tiller announced on Tuesday that his Wichita clinic will not re-open, leading some abortion-rights advocates to voice concern about access to the procedure, the New York Times reports. Tiller was one of a handful of abortion providers who performed the procedure in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy, and women for decades have traveled to the clinic from across the U.S. and other countries. The clinic, Women's Health Care Services, also was Kansas' only clinic outside the Kansas City area (Davey, New York Times, 6/10). The Tiller family said in a statement that the clinic will be "permanently closed" effective immediately. The family also said it does not plan to be involved "in any similar clinic" but will "honor Dr. Tiller's memory through private charitable activities" (Slevin/Stein, Washington Post, 6/10).

While abortion-rights advocates expressed empathy for the family, some added that they also are concerned that the clinic's closure could have devastating effects for women who learn of fatal health problems late in their pregnancies, the Times reports. Nancy Northup, president of the Center for Reproductive Rights, said, "It is unacceptable that antiabortion intimidation and violence has led to the closing of Dr. Tiller's clinic." She added, "Not only have we lost a fearless defender of women's fundamental health and rights in Dr. Tiller's murder, but the closing of his clinic leaves an immediate and immense void in the availability of abortion" (New York Times, 6/10). Suzanne Poppema, board chair of Physicians for Reproductive Choice and Health and a retired ob-gyn who performed abortions, said that abortions later in pregnancy would still be available, including through university hospitals that do not advertise the service. The closing is "not going to stop people who want to provide the service, but it will slow them down," she said. Marla Patrick, Kansas coordinator for the National Organization for Women, said abortion-rights advocates are working to open another Wichita-based clinic that provides abortions later in pregnancy (Bello, USA Today, 6/10). The AP/Yahoo! News reports that Kansas state law permits abortion after 21 weeks' gestation only if continuing the pregnancy would endanger the woman's life or cause a "substantial and irreversible impairment" of a major bodily function, which courts have interpreted to include the mental health of the woman (Hegman/Hanna, AP/Yahoo! News, 6/9).

According to the Times, some abortion-rights advocates had hoped other abortion providers would take over Tiller's work at the clinic. LeRoy Carhart, a Nebraska abortion provider who also worked with Tiller, said he is "currently exploring every option to be able to continue to make second- and early, medically indicated third-trimester abortions available." Warren Hern, a Colorado abortion provider who performs procedures later in pregnancy, said, "Where does it end? The antiabortion fanatics got exactly what they wanted" (New York Times, 6/10).

According to the Wall Street Journal, abortion-rights opponents' response to the closure was "subdued." Some expressed concern that antiabortion-rights extremists would think that violence "gets results where legal protest doesn't," the Journal reports (Simon, Wall Street Journal, 6/10). Troy Newman, president of Operation Rescue, said that while the group is "thankful" that the clinic is closed, they "wish it would have come through the peaceful, legal channels that we were pushing" (New York Times, 6/10).

Broadcast Coverage

MSNBC's "The Rachel Maddow Show" on Tuesday reported on the clinic's closure and included a discussion with Susan Hill, president of the National Women's Health Organization, about violence against abortion providers and an increase in the hostility of protesters outside abortion clinics since Tiller's murder (Maddow, "The Rachel Maddow Show," MSNBC, 6/9). NPR's "All Things Considered" on Tuesday also reported on the clinic's closure ("All Things Considered," NPR, 6/9).

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