San Diego, CA — California abortionist Andrew Rutland faces an emergency suspension hearing today in San Diego based on a nine-count accusation filed on Christmas Eve by the California Medical Board for multiple legal violations associated with the death of an abortion patient in July, 2009.
Rutland had committed a second trimester abortion on an Asian woman at an unlicensed office in San Gabriel, CA, during which he administered an overdose of lidocaine. He failed to recognize the symptoms of the overdose and the patient went into cardiac arrest. He and his staff were untrained and unequipped to handle the medical emergency. After a ‘significant delay” in contacting 911, the woman was transported to a local hospital where she died.
Rutland failed to report the emergency transport, hospitalization, and patient death as required by law.
Rutland has a long history of licensure problems. His medical license was revoked in 2003 for severing a baby’s spinal column during a forceps delivery, then lying to the parents by telling them that their baby suffered a stroke. The baby later died. His license was reinstated in 2007, and Rutland was placed on 5 years probation with the restriction that he operate under the supervision of another physician.
Last October, Operation Rescue reported that Rutland was violating his probation by engaging in the solo practice of medicine at an abortion clinic in Chula Vista. We asked our supporters to contact the California Medical Board and demand that his medical license be revoked.
On November 3, 2009, an Inspector from the California Medical Board attempted to inspect Rutland’s stock of drugs and his records at his Chula Vista clinic, none of which were made open to him at the time of his inspection.
The Medical Board asked for an emergency suspension of Rutland’s license until the Board can work through the lengthy process to finalize revocation.
“This is yet another example of a dangerous abortionist in trouble with the law. It is a shame that a woman had to die before this man could be permanently banned from the medical field,” said Operation Rescue President Troy Newman. “We commend the pro-life activists on the ground in California for their vigilance in monitoring and reporting this abortionist. We pray Rutland’s abortion mills will now permanently close.”
Ironically, Rutland took over at least two abortion clinics from the notorious abortionist Nolan Jones had his medical license revoked in 2009. Jones and taken the clinics over after illegal abortionist Bertha Bugarin was arrested 2008. Bugarin is currently serving a prison sentence of 6 years, 8 months.
We encourage pro-lifer supporters to monitor and report abortion clinic abuses in their areas. View a full listing of abortion clinics in America.
Charges against Rutland are summarized below. VIEW THE ENTIRE REVOCATION DOCUMENT.

• Dishonesty: Rutland lied on a DEA application indicating that he had never had his medical license suspended or revoked.
• Gross negligence: On July 28, 2009, Rutland did an abortion on a woman at 16 weeks gestation. He improperly administered an anesthetic then did not recognize her reaction. He failed to properly treat her condition. She was eventually transported to the hospital where she died six days later.
• Repeated negligent acts: Rutland engaged in the sloppiest of practices. His doomed abortion patient signed a consent (unwitnessed) for a first trimester abortion when in fact she was well into her second trimester. Rutland did not note basic information in her medical record, such as height, weight, date of her last menstrual period, what drugs he administered, and what efforts he made (or didn’t make) to revive her. When paramedics arrived, no one was actively caring for the dying woman. Neither Rutland nor his staff was trained in CPR.
• Incompetence: Rutland did not know the upper safe limit for lidocaine dosage, nor did he recognize signs that he had overdosed her. This incompetence led to the patient’s death.
• Lack of Advanced Cardiac Life Support Certificate
• Failure to obtain malpractice insurance
• Failure to report his patient’s emergency transport, hospitalization, and death as required by law.
• Violation of Drug Laws: Rutland illegally transported controlled substances to a clinic that had no DEA certificate. Failure to provide proper records and submit to inspection by Medical Board Inspector.
• Unprofessional conduct: Cited all of the above.