by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
February 28, 2005
Bloomfield, Township, MI (LifeNews.com) -- A Michigan abortion
practitioner is facing a trial over allegations that he sexually assaulted
women following abortion procedures. A district court held a preliminary
hearing into the matter on Friday.
Rodolfo Finkelstein, a 55 year-old from Bloomfield Township, performs abortions in two locations. He faces two counts of first degree criminal sexual assault which could earn him a life term in prison. Finkelstein has also been charged by local authorities with five other charges of criminal sexual conduct.
Two women on whom Finkelstein had performed abortions appeared in the 48th District Court in Bloomfield Township. They were joined by a doctor and nurse.
A Daily Oakland Press report said much of the testimony of the women was graphic and one 21 year-old who had Finkelstein perform a second trimester abortion on her described his inappropriate advances and sexual acts.
Meanwhile, a 19 year-old woman who had an abortion in January 2003 at his abortion facility says Finkelstein kissed her and squeezed her buttocks following a post-abortion examination.
Finkelstein still performs abortions at the Women's Advisory Centers in Livonia and Bloomfield Township.
Assistant Oakland County Prosecutor Barbara Morrison told the Press that the witnesses did a good job of describing what happened to them.
"The complainants held up remarkably well. It took a lot of courage," she said.
The Press reports that Finkelstein says he is innocent and that the alleged incidents never occurred. His attorney, Mitchell Ribitwer, challenges the truthfulness of the plaintiffs.
Finkelstein was arraigned in September before District Court Magistrate Kathleen Trott and he posted a $25,000 bond.
Police said Finkelstein made it a practice of seeing women alone for examinations and he kissed, fondled and sexually assaulted them when nurses were not around.
"Patients should be able to go to their doctor and be assured of
good care," Bloomfield Township Police Chief Jeffrey Werner told
the Press. "It appears this doctor took advantage of his patients,
and we will do our part to hold him accountable."
Finkelstein's cases is just one of three recent cases of abortion practitioners taking advantage of women seeking abortions.
In February 2004, abortion practitioner Ronald Stevenson, of Oregon was convicted on two counts of inappropriately touching or kissing a patient.
Stevenson cannot practice medicine in the state again unless he notifies the Oregon Board of Medical Examiners two weeks in advance and provides them with detailed information of where he will practice and what he'll be doing.
Meanwhile, in January 2004, Arizona abortion
practitioner Brian Finkel was sentenced to 34 years in prison after
he was found guilty of 22 counts of sexual abuse against women who complained
he touched their breasts and private parts inappropriately during abortions
and examinations.
