…But obfuscation seemed more the order of the day
Topeka, KS — About twenty pro-lifers from all over Kansas gathered at the Topeka office of the Kansas State Board of Healing Arts (KSBHA) to demand the revocation of abortionist George Tiller’s medical license in the interest of public safety after an autopsy report revealed his culpability in the January death of 19-year old Christin Gilbert. (Read Background Story)

After statements by Operation Rescue President Troy Newman and others, the group made their way into the lobby of the KSBHA office to ask for a meeting with Executive Director Larry Buening. Instead, KSBHA attorney Mark Stafford was sent to field questions from the pro-lifers who questioned him for nearly 45 minutes on when a decision to discipline Tiller might be forthcoming and reminded him that women’s lives continue to be endangered because of the length of time the KSBHA is taking to act.
Stafford had no clear answers and angered the group with his evasiveness and unwillingness to provide even a general timeline for a Board decision. Stafford told the pro-lifers that the matter was confidential at this point, but if charges were filed, it would become public.
Stafford indicated that the case would go before a confidential review committee for determination of what charges, if any, should be filed. Eugene Frye, a pro-life veteran from Kansas City, questioned the composition of the review committee, and indicated that two abortionists, Sherman Zaremski and Krishna Rajanna, (the abortionists who recently had his own license revoked for filthy conditions and alleged cannibalism at his now closed Kansas City abortion mill) were listed as members of a KSBHA advisory board. Frye asked if these two men would be on the panel that decided whether or not to discipline Tiller.
Although Stafford denied at the meeting that Zaremski and Rajanna had any connections to the KSBHA, he did contact Operation Rescue later with a clarifying statement, which read in part:

There is a list of doctors who have volunteered to serve on a malpractice screening panel…When a medical malpractice case is contemplated or filed in a district court, either the patient or the doctor may request a screening panel. The purpose is to give an advisory opinion to the parties regarding the likelihood of a judgment if the case were to proceed. The parties select individuals from the list to review the case. The Board was given the task of creating and updating the list. We have no discretion in creating the list; we simply indicate that those on the list have agreed to participate.
Please understand that the Board does not utilize this list in its investigations or prosecutions. We have our own review committees, established as provided by statute, and comprised of physicians who excel in their field, and who act fairly, without bias or a desire to protect physicians. Neither Dr. Rajanna nor Dr. Zeremski [sic] is on a review committee.

The pro-lifers were unsatisfied with the outcome of the meeting, and left when it became clear that answers to their concerns were not forthcoming.
“We want you to know that we are watching you, the nation is watching you, and the world is watching you,” Newman told Safford at the end of the meeting. “We are watching because we want to see justice for Christin.”
Stafford acknowledged that he was well aware of the public scrutiny in this case and indicated that the KSBHA had received hundreds of calls and e-mails about Tiller’s involvement in Gilbert’s death.

After the meeting, the group returned to the sidewalk where a short memorial was held for Christin. Touching memorial comments that had been published in a Texas newspaper’s “remembrance”section were read that showed how much Christin meant to her friends, family, and community. A wreath bearing her photograph was placed at the KSBHA sign on busy Topeka Boulevard.
“We want to thank everyone who has contacted the KSBHA and asked for justice for Christin,” said Newman. “Now is not the time to let up. The case is still pending and we need to let the Board know we will not allow them to sweep Christin’s tragic and avoidable death under the rug.”
Please contact the Kansas State Board of Healing Arts and demand the revocation of Tiller’s medical license for the botched abortion death of Christin Gilbert.
Larry Buening: Call (785) 296-3680 or e-mail him at lbuening@ink.org.
If you have time, contact EVERYONE at the KSBHA. All the phone numbers and e-mail addresses are listed online at http://www.ksbha.org/staff.html.
[We deeply appreciate every call and e-mail sent. You all are making a difference! —OR Staff]