Abortionist Testifies in Trial on Charges of Abusing Women
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
October 22, 2003
Phoenix, AZ (LifeNews.com) — Brian Finkel is taking the stand this week in his own defense against charges that he abused more than 35 women during abortions and exams.
Finkel has been accused by former patients and abortion facility staff members of inappropriately touching women’s breasts and private parts and making lewd remarks during abortions and examinations.
Despite one doctor’s assertion to the contrary, Finkel defended his actions on the stand saying that touching the squeezing women’s nipples the way he did constituted appropriate medical procedure.
Finkel seemed to enjoy the opportunity to defend himself on both Monday and Tuesday.
Finkel described in detail both his process for performing abortions as well as how and why he would touch women. He claimed he would use his hands to "visualize" a woman’s reproductive organs prior to an abortion.
He claims he insisted another staff member was present any time he was with a patient.
"I don’t want to be alone in a room with any patient when she is in a state of undress," the Arizona Republic reports Finkel saying. "When the attendant leaves the room, you step back."
He also claimed breast exams are necessary to evaluate a woman’s health.
Richard Gierloff, Finkel’s attorney, plans to question Finkel about every one of the women who have filed charges. Gierloff says many of the women are exaggerating the claims and that some were abusing drugs at the time of the alleged incidents.
His strategy is to discredit the claims of as many women as possible. He also asked Judge Jeffrey Cates to dismissed many of the charges. Cates has not yet ruled on the motion.
Finkel also blasted pro-life advocates during his testimony. He called them "domestic terrorists" and said, "they stalked me around town. They’d disrupted my Kiwanis Club luncheons. They were everywhere."
He will undergo cross-examination later this week.
