Operation Rescue, which worked for years to expose Rutland, celebrates the victory for women and babies
By Cheryl Sullenger
Sacramento, California — The Medical Board of California has made an agreement with troubled abortionist Andrew Rutland to surrender his medical license on February, 11, 2011, ending a long and sordid career.
“This decision was many years in coming. It is a victory for women and babies who will never have to be subjected to his shoddy, back-alley practices. It is also a victory for the pro-life movement since Rutland is a character we have followed and attempted to expose for years,” said Operation Rescue President Troy Newman, whose group has frequently called for the revocation of his medical license.
Rutland was first licensed in California in 1973. His license was revoked in 2002 after two babies died due to his negligence. At that time he was also charged with, frightening women into agreeing to unnecessary hysterectomies, botching surgeries, lying to patients, falsifying medical records, over-prescribing painkillers and having sex with a patient in his office.
In 2007, Rutland reapplied and was granted a new license.
“This was a huge mistake by the board,” said Newman. “It ended up costing one woman her life. I think it would be tough to sleep at night knowing that.”
Perhaps that is why the Board aggressively pursued Rutland after 30-year old Ying Chen died from a reaction to anesthesia at a dirty San Gabriel acupuncture clinic in August, 2009. It attempted to suspend his license on an emergency basis, but a Judge instead ordered Rutland not to commit surgical abortions while allowing him to continue prescribing the abortion pill.
Operation Rescue caught Rutland offering abortion appointments and reported him to the Medical Board.
In June of last year, the medical examiner reclassified Chen’s death as a homicide. The Board filed an amended complaint to reflect that. The Board charged that Rutland did not adequately secure Chen’s consent for a second trimester abortion or recognize the severity of her condition. He attempted the abortion at an unsafe facility that did not have proper emergency equipment or trained staff, and did not call for emergency care in a timely manner.
Rutland has not been criminally charged, and in his surrender agreement, Rutland did not admit to guilt on the homicide count. The District Attorney told reporters that a criminal case is under investigation.
This news comes on the heels of the arrest of the arrests of Kermit Gosnell and nine of his employees for murder and other violations of the law of an eerily similar nature to Rutland’s.
“The political climate that has shielded abortions for decades is changing. Boards and prosecutors who once yawned at allegations of abortion abuses are now turning a keen eye toward them,” said Newman. “These cases send a strong message to abortionists everywhere that they are no longer above the law.”
Read the Surrender Order and Complaint
