Cities

    Baton Rouge    
    Lafayette    
    Mansfield    
    New Orleans    
    Shreveport    



Baton Rouge


Attempted Murder and Assault

       On October 6, 1994, Ernest Robertson Jr. was picking up his wife at the Delta Women's Clinic abortion mill. After shouting at Roger Mahoney, the father of eight children and the founder of a Holocaust Memorial in the city, and then shoving him, Robertson went to his truck and got a 9-mm pistol. He shot at Mahoney, who ran. Robinson chased him, firing twice more, but the gun jammed. Robinson was arrested and charged with attempted second-degree murder. Local abortion mill owners and workers not only refused to condemn this violence, they supported and justified it.

References:  Leslie Zganjar. "Man Shoots at Abortion Protestor." The Oregonian [Portland, Oregon], October 10, 1994; Paul deParrie. "Father Shoots at Sidewalk Counselor." Life Advocate, November 1994, page 18; News Notes. "Clinic Violence On The Rise." The Wanderer, October 20, 1994, page 3. National Pro-Life Newsline, October 1994.


Fatal Botched Abortion, Illegal Abortions (5 incidents) and Battery

       Abortionist Sidney C. Knight killed Janet Sara Lally Blaum, a mother of three with a botched abortion in New Orleans on March 6, 1974. Blaum died March 11 of cerebral and laryngeal edema and brain hemorrhage following administration of a drug for the abortion.
       The abortionist was arrested and indicted in 1964, 1965, 1971, 1972 and 1973 for committing illegal abortions, and was indicted in 1965 on charges that he "committed a battery upon one Sgt. Tony Catalanello."
       The Louisiana Department of Public Works reported that preborn children were disposed of by grinding them up and flushing them into the sanitary sewer system; a letter also indicated action being taken to investigate "the matter of the Doberman pincer being kept inside this clinic."

References:  Department of Public Works letter dated December 29, 1989; 4th Judicial District Court, Jefferson Parish, Case #168162; postmortem report, Jefferson Parish cases #73439, #721403, #71218, #6593011, #6486207 and #1965693356.


Threats to Public Health and Safety

       In 1998, Roxy Daniel had an operation at the Delta Women's Center abortion mill which forced her to wear a colostomy bag for eight months. Her story sparked a Channel Nine News investigation uncovering these instruments and conditions inside the clinic. Several other clinic workers came forward to confirm Roxy's story. In the Spring of 1999, the Louisiana Legislature voted to include abortion clinics in outpatient surgical centers' rules requiring sanitary conditions.
       On February 5, 1999, Louisiana Governor Mike Foster declared a public health and safety emergency after a Baton Rouge television station released pictures showing rusted surgical tools and blood crusted on the floor and instruments inside the Delta Women's Clinic abortion mill. Abortion mills in Louisiana are completely unregulated, and abortionists take advantage of this fact to run assembly-line abortuaries. Governor Foster made an emergency proclamation ordering state health officials to inspect Louisiana abortion facilities in the same manner that all other medical facilities are examined. He ordered state health officials to inspect Delta and all other abortion facilities that had not been inspected by state sanitarians. However, several Louisiana abortuaries, including the Delta Womens Clinic, filed suit, and U.S. District Judge Ginger Berrigan issued a preliminary injunction blocking enforcement of Foster's order. The Governor's lawyers examined Berrigan's ruling and stated that it did not block state health officials from inspecting abortion mills under the existing state sanitation code once a complaint was received. He said that he would order the State to examine an abortion mill only if there was cause to suspect that it was not meeting "appropriate health, safety and sanitation standards."
       However, pro-abortionists said that, if any inspections are performed by the State health department — even if they are prompted by threats to women's health — they will go back to court to block the inspections. In other words, Louisiana pro-abortionists care so little about the health of women that they will refuse to allow any of their abortion mills to be inspected by health professionals.

References:  "Judge Blocks Governor's Order to Investigate Abortion." Baton Rouge Advocate, March 25, 1999. "Federal Judge Blocks Inspection of Unsanitary Abortion Mills." The Wanderer, April 15, 1999, page 3. "Louisiana: Bill to Inspect Abortion Facilities Advances." Steven Ertelt's Pro-Life Infonet at http://www.prolifeinfo.org/infonet.html, April 23, 1999.


Lafayette


Attempted Murder and Death Threats (2 incidents)

       "Pro-choicers" have a galaxy of means they use to murder their victims. This particular case is unusual, not only because of the means of murder used, but that the murdered woman got to confront her killer in court.
       Dr. Richard J. Schmidt was a philanderer who was carrying on a ten-year affair with Janice Trahan. Schmidt promised to leave his wife for year after year, but never did. His primary interest in Janice was purely sexual. Janice had tried many times to break off their affair, but he would always get her to continue it, by threatening to kill her or himself, by saying he would post erotic photos of her on the Internet, or by threatening to expose the fact that he helped her cheat on exams.
       Janice could not use the birth control pill because they gave her severe headaches, and Schmidt refused to use a condom, so Janice became pregnant again and again. In August and December of 1988 and June of 1989, she became pregnant, and Schmidt insisted that she have an abortion each time. Finally, she gave birth to his son in 1991 after Schmidt informed her parents, both solid pro-lifers, that she was pregnant. It was one of the ways he controlled her.
       Janice had had sexual relationships with several other men as she was carrying on her affair with Schmidt. She began to date Lafayette bachelor Barry Bleichner in early 1994. When Schmidt learned of this, he drove to Bleichner's house and said "If you see Janice again, I am going to kill you."
       In July 1994, Janice finally broke off her ten-year-long sexual relationship with Schmidt.
       On August 4, 1994, she awoke to find Schmidt standing in her bedroom holding a hypodermic needle in his hand. She was not alarmed, because he had frequently given her B-12 vitamin shots for fatigue, and had phoned ahead to let her know that she was coming over. But this injection was different; it was agonizing.
       On December 20, 1994, Janice tested positive for HIV and Hepatitis C. She realized what had happened then — Schmidt had murdered her. Police matched the DNA of the injection Schmidt had given her to two patients he had seen who were HIV positive and infected with Hepatitis C.
       On July 23, 1996, a Lafayette grand jury indicted Schmidt for second-degree attempted murder. On October 23, 1998, a twelve-person jury found Schmidt guilty of second-degree attempted murder. District Judge Durwood Conque sentenced him to fifty years at hard labor. Louisiana's Third Circuit Court of Appeal unheld his conviction in July 2000.
       If Janice dies from the effects of AIDS, Schmidt will not be tried for murder due to double jeopardy laws.

References:  Schmidt v. Louisiana, case number 01-938; Gina Holland. "Court Rejects Appeal in AIDS Case." Associated Press, March 4, 2002; "The Vengeful Heart and Other Stories: A True Crime Casebook." Downloaded from Court TV's Crime Library at http://www.crimelibrary.com/notorious_murders/classics/vengeful/ on October 16, 2007.


Mansfield


First-Degree Murder and Attempted Murder

       On October 19, 2007, Winford Campbell went to the home of his estranged wife Sondra, and the two began to argue outside. He retrieved a gun and shot Sondra several times, killing her. He then went inside the house and shot Sondra's 21-year-old daughter, Jamia Van Zant, who was seven months pregnant. Jamia was rushed to Louisiana State University Hospital with bullet wounds to her leg and foot, but she and her preborn child survived the attack.
       Campbell then drove to the sheriff's office and turned himself in.
       On November 28, a DeSoto Parish grand jury indicted Campbell on charges of first-degree murder and attempted murder.

References:  "One Dead, One Wounded and One in Custody in South Mansfield Shooting." KTBS Television News 3 [Shreveport, Louisiana], October 19, 2007; "Couple Both Indicted in Pregnant Woman's Murder." KTBS Television News 3 [Shreveport, Louisiana], November 28, 2007.

New Orleans


Attempted Murder and Attempted Feticide [Galliano]

       Albert J. Danos' live-in girlfriend was four months pregnant, and he was not happy about the prospect. So pro-abortionist Danos thought that he would forcibly abort her himself.
       Sheriff's office spokesman Larry Weidel said that police had received a call about a domestic disturbance at the couple's home. At the same time, Danos arrived at the South Lafourche substation in Galliano and told deputies there that his girlfriend had tried to shoot herself.
       Meanwhile, deputies arrived at the West 149th Street address and spoke to neighbors, who said the victim had already been taken to the hospital, Weidel said. She reportedly had several bruises over her body and a broken nose. "Investigating detectives said she reportedly had a boot print on her side where he would have kicked her," Weidel said. "He beat her up pretty good."
       At the hospital, the woman told detectives Danos had confronted her about some missing medication, Weidel said. When he said he was leaving and started packing a bag, she tried to stop him. "The victim stated that twice she tried to hug him and asked him not to leave," Weidel said. Danos pushed her away from him both times, the second time causing her arm to go through a glass window, Weidel said. The victim was knocked to the floor, where Danos continued to punch and kick her. "At one point, she said he told her that her baby did not deserve to live and he kicked her in the stomach," Weidel said.
       Danos was also packing a pistol into his bag and he pointed it at the victim. Fearing for her life and that of her child, she grabbed the gun and it fired. The bullet went through her shirt but missed her body. Detectives searching the home found a bullet hole in a cabinet.
       Danos told detectives the woman was purposefully running into walls and banging her head on the floor, Weidel said. Danos also drew a sketch of where they supposedly were when she grabbed the gun and caused it to fire.
       "The sketch was completely opposite of what the evidence showed," Weidel said. "It would have put the bullet in another location." Danos also claimed his girlfriend stole his wallet and cell phone, but investigators found both in his vehicle, Weidel said.
       Danos was arrested and booked into the Lafourche Parish Detention Center with a $500,000 bond. He was charged with attempted murder and attempted feticide.

Reference:  Crystal Bonvillian. "Man Accused of Trying to Kill Girlfriend, Unborn Child." The Daily Comet [Thibodaux, Lafourche Parish, Louisiana], July 30, 2003.


Attempted Murder and Aggravated Assault [Metairie]

       On July 9, 1988, abortionist I.A. Okpalobi attempted to run over pro-life picketers, including Pastor Bill Shanks, several women, and two children.

Reference:  Bill Shanks, written statement of August 26, 1988.


Rape (20 incidents) and Death Threats (2 incidents)

       A 41-year-old male pro-abortionist, whose name has been withheld to protect his victims, repeatedly raped the twin daughters of his ex-girlfriend, then then used abortions in an attempt to cover up his actions.
       On April 11, 2003, the man was convicted of multiple charges of rape, and was sentenced to two mandatory life sentences by State Judge William Burris on May 7.
       The victims, now 28, clasped hands with their mother and cried as the jury of seven men and five women returned the guilty verdicts after three hours of deliberation.
       During the three-day trial, the twins testified the man, who they sometimes called "Dad," had sex with them "thousands" of times between 1984 and 1991 starting when the girls were 10 and he was living with them.
       One of the girls said she had two abortions after she became pregnant from the man when she was 15 and 17. She said the man paid for one abortion, unbeknownst to the mother. Her mother, who was told that the girl was raped by a date, paid for the second abortion.
       Serrin Foster, president of Feminists for Life of American, said that "This sexual predator might have been found guilty of raping two sisters repeatedly, but he got off scot-free on the abortion of this own flesh and blood. No doubt that he wanted to destroy the 'evidence' — his own son or daughter. Two life sentences for two counts of rape doesn't seem adequate for the destruction of four lives. ... One can only wonder how the twin's mother feels now, knowing that she, too, contributed to covering up the crime by paying her own daughter's second abortion — her boyfriend's child."
       The girls said they did not tell their mother about the rapes while they were ongoing because the man threatened them. The twins went to authorities in 1999. They said that the man often treated them nicely, bought them presents, and took them to places they liked. One victim said "I loved him when he was being a father. I hated it when he was being a molester." Her sister said "It was like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde ... I mean we asked this man if we could call him Dad."
       The twins said their mother worked long hours as a saleswoman and often was away from home. The sexual assaults occurred daily, they said.
       A neighbor said she saw the man kissing one girl's neck and fondling her thigh. A former friend and classmate of the twins said they confided to her in 1992 that the man had molested them. The friend said she convinced the girls to tell their mother. The friend said the defendant had made inappropriate advances to her and had peeked at her while she showered or changed clothes at her friends' home. The twins said they reported the man to police after seeing him at a restaurant when they were eating with their 5-year-old daughters.
       "My sister and I had thought we had put this behind us — out of sight, out of mind," one sister said. She said she thought about the man looking at their daughters "and we went to the police that night."
       The man was arrested a month later and has been in jail awaiting trial since then.

References:  Charlie Chapple. "Man Guilty of Raping Twin Sisters: Women Describe Years of Abuse as Children." The Times-Picayune [Northern Louisiana], April 12, 2003; New Orleans Times-Picayune, April 13, 2003; "Man Uses Abortion to Cover Up Sister's Rapes." Steve Ertelt's Pro-Life Infonet at http://www.prolifeinfo.org, April 15, 2003.


Rape (4 counts) and Illegal Abortion

       Pro-abortion Baptist minister Bob Fradieu repeatedly raped his 12-year-old stepdaughter, and, when she became pregnant by him, he tried to induce an abortion in her. When this failed, he abandoned her. A DNA test showed that Fradieu was the father by a probability of 99.997 percent, and he signed a paternity statement.
       A jury found him guilty of rape and a judge sentenced him to a mandatory term of life in prison.

Reference:  Paul Purpura. "Minister Guilty of Rape Due Back in Court Today." New Orleans Times-Picayune, January 22, 2001, page 2.

Incompetence, Malpractice (2 incidents) and Drug Dealing

       Abortionist Victor Brown has had a long and very questionable medical career. He has had 25 malpractice suits filed against him in Orleans Civil District Court alone, including cases involving the death of two minor children.
       The Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners has charged Brown with medical incompetency, recurring medical practice failing to satisfy prevailing and usually accepted standards, and prescribing controlled substances without legitimate medical justification. For this last offense, the abortionist was fined $1,000 and given a lifetime prohibition on Schedule II drugs.

Reference:  "A Physician Profile: Victor Brown, MD." The Abortion Injury Report [American Rights Coalition], May 1993, page 2.


Malpractice (2 incidents) and Fraud (6 counts)

       The Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners revoked the license of abortionist David Golden, who once operated abortion mills in New Orleans. Golden's license was suspended in 1995 after abortions he performed on two women left them unable to have children. Golden was also charged with six counts of Medicaid fraud.

Reference:  United Press International (UPI), April 23, 1998.


Malpractice

       Abortionist A. James Whitmore III, who worked at the Delta Women's Clinic abortion mill, had his medical license put on indefinite probation by the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners after it found that he disregarded basic sanitation, was rude to patients and failed to recognize the seriousness of one woman's condition after a failed abortion.
       According to the Board's report, the abortionist used improperly sterilized equipment, let tissue float in sterilizing solution, and reused devices that were supposed to be used only once. Whitmore's license is on indefinite probation while experts determine whether he is fit to practice. Until that decision is made, the agency ordered that his work be monitored by another doctor to be selected by the board.
       "I think it's long overdue and doesn't go far enough," said Attorney Mike Johnson, who is representing women in abortion malpractice claims against Delta. Johnson said problems about Whitmore's work were revealed while gathering information for the lawsuits almost three years ago. Johnson said ten of the Delta workers also came forward and made sworn statements about problems they saw. "We were just astounded at the things they told us," he said.
       In one case, a clinic employee testified, Whitmore could not stop a patient's hemorrhaging after an abortion. An ambulance had to be called, the witness said, and hospital doctors found she had a perforated uterus, which required a hysterectomy.
       Witnesses at the hearing testified that Whitmore was rude to patients and refused to answer their questions. In one case, an abortion mill employee testified, Whitmore could not stop a patient's hemorrhaging after an abortion. An ambulance had to be called, the witness said, and hospital doctors found she had a perforated uterus, which required a hysterectomy.
       The board's action was based on allegations about Whitmore's part-time work as an abortion provider at Delta Women's Clinic in Baton Rouge. According to a report on his case, Whitmore used improperly sterilized equipment, reused devices that were supposed to be used only once and let tissue float in the sterilizing solution.
       Whitmore also had trouble with the state board in 1992 when concerns about his competence led the agency to put his license on three years of probation.

References:  John Pope. "La. Medical Board Disciplines Doctors: 1 License Suspended; 1 Put on Probation." New Orleans Times-Picayune, March 6, 2002; "Medical Board Investigating Former Abortion Provider" and "Louisiana Puts Abortion Practitioner on Probation." Baton Rouge Advocate, March 6, 2002; Steve Ertelt's Pro-Life Infonet at http://www.prolifeinfo.org, March 7, 2002; John Pope. "Doctor's License Yanked: Board Says He Can't Practice in State." New Orleans Times-Picayune, August 31, 2002; Steve Ertelt's Pro-Life Infonet, August 31, 2002.


Vandalism [Metairie]

       On January 21, 1992, pro-abortionists vandalized the Women's Day Clinic (a crisis pregnancy center), spraying black paint on its sign and scrawling "LIARS! ABORTION IS O.K.!" on its front in red paint.

Reference:  "Pregnancy Center is Vandalized." Life Advocate, May 1992.

Shreveport


First-Degree Murder (four counts)

       According to police and prosecution documents and witness testimony, the following events occurred in and around Shreveport, Louisiana.
       Lee Arthur Allen's ex-girlfriend, Kawanna Thomas, was eight months pregnant with a baby girl, and the two had been arguing over several issues, including Allen's new girlfriend. So Allen arranged to meet Kawanna in an isolated spot in South DeSoto Parish on November 12, 2007, and brought along his current girlfriend, Willa Kelly.
       Allen shot Kawanna seven times with a handgun, but she survived. Two of the shots were aimed directly at her belly, killing the unborn daughter she had already named Lanesha, who was due to be born on Christmas day. Then Allen and Kelly dragged Kawanna to the side of the road and drove away, leaving her to die.
       During subsequent police examinations, Allen and Kelly admitted that they murdered Kawanna.
       On November 28, 2007, a DeSoto Parish grand jury indicted both Allen and Kelly on two charges of first-degree murder, one charge each for Kawanna and her preborn child.
       Erica Thomas, Kawanna's sister, said to Allen "She gone now and I hate you. I hate you for doing that to my sister. I hope you die. She loved you, Lee, she loved you. You didn't have to do my sister like that. Now I don't have a sister anymore."

References:  "Couple Both Indicted in Pregnant Woman's Murder." KTBS Television News 3 [Shreveport, Louisiana], November 28, 2007; Dale Hoffman. "Admitted Killing Victims — Plead Not Guilty." KALB Television News 5 [Alexandria, Louisiana], December 6, 2007; "Kawanna Thomas: Murder Victim." Black and Missing but Not Forgotten, November 18, 2007.

To return to the introductory document, click here.
To go to the Index for the pro-abortion violence database, click here.
This document was updated on December 1, 2007.