Subject: Fresno Abortion Practitioner Sued for Abortion Death, Botched Abortion
Source: Fresno Bee; August, 18, 2001

Fresno Abortion Practitioner Sued for Abortion Death, Botched Abortion

Fresno, CA -- A Fresno abortion practitioner, Kenneth Wright, and his
facility face two malpractice lawsuits stemming from separate botched
abortions. One of the women slipped into a coma after the May 5, 2000,
abortion and later died.

The other lawsuit says the doctor "overlooked a fetus" during a Nov. 10,
1999, abortion, forcing the woman to have emergency surgery later.

The most recent case was filed this week in Fresno County Superior Court.
It accuses Wright and Family Planning Associates Medical Group abortion
facility of wrongfully causing the death of Kimberly K. Neil. The lawsuit
alleges Neil wasn't properly monitored and wasn't properly treated after
she went into respiratory arrest during the abortion. Neil died May 22,
2000.

Her family, which filed the lawsuit, referred questions to their Los
Angeles lawyer, who did not return telephone calls Friday. Wright, 68,
declined to comment, referring questions to his lawyer.

The other case, filed in April, claims Wright was negligent and
"overlooked" an unborn child while doing an abortion on Heather M. Shaw of
Tulare County in 1999. Shaw later suffered cramping, hemorrhaging, nausea
and "borderline gangrene" and required emergency surgery, the lawsuit
says.

Wright's lawyer, Donald R. Fischbach, denies an unborn child was left
inside Shaw. He said there were other "tissues" that weren't removed
completely and that Shaw signed a consent form saying she understood such
a problem could arise. Shaw should have returned to Wright's office to
have those "tissues" removed, he said.

Instead, Shaw later had surgery at a South Valley hospital to complete the
botched abortion.

"Our contention is that this is just very unfortunate for all concerned,"
Fischbach said.

Lita Reid, Shaw's lawyer, said Friday that an unborn child was left behind
during the abortion and that her client's medical care was substandard.

"There is a consent form and you warn patients about things, but you can't
write off negligence with a disclaimer," Reid said.

Both lawsuits seek unspecified damages.