'Gosnell': The Movie U.S. Healthcare Hopes You Won't Bother to See

“Gosnell: America’s Biggest Serial Killer” opens this week - and what an ugly blight on U.S. healthcare the story is. Those familiar with our work here at The Paramedic Heretic and Medical Miscreants may well recall we covered Gosnell's gruesome house of horrors in multiple articles as far back as 9 years ago.

The movie plays out like a documentary, revealing the horrible practices of a Philadelphia-area abortion doctor who was eventually convicted for Murder of 3 newborns, as well as a young woman who died as a result of Gosnell's botched abortion. But law enforcement discovered that the doctor had actually committed hundreds of crimes while operating his appalling abortion clinic and repeatedly snubbing health inspections and medical protocols.

“Gosnell: America’s Biggest Serial Killer” is based on the book written by two investigative news reporters, Ann McElhinney and Phelim McAleer. The movie explores the case through the eyes of investigators as they learn of Gosnell’s terrifying clinic, and ends with the criminal trial that convicted him. Actor Dean Cain plays James Wood, the lead investigator.

The grand jury report of 2011 read, “this case is about disregard of the law and disdain for the lives and health of mothers and infants. We find common ground in exposing what happened here, and in recommending measures to prevent anything like this from ever happening again.”

The grand jury determined that Gosnell’s clinic was “‘Filthy,’ ‘deplorable,’ ‘disgusting,’ ‘very unsanitary, very outdated, horrendous,’ and ‘by far, the worst’ that these experienced investigators had ever encountered.” Additionally, the grand jury report cited that Gosnell used “bogus" doctors, falsified records, and oversaw unprofessional procedures with no respect for life and medical and abortion laws.

The grand jury was certain Gosnell had murdered hundreds of babies, but found no real proof needed to convict him further.