Judge reviews doctor’s fate in abortion case
TOPEKA — A Kansas doctor faces a crucial court hearing this week in her fight to regain her medical license and overturn a regulatory board’s finding that she performed inadequate mental health exams before referring young patients to physician George Tiller for late-term abortions.
Attorneys for both Ann Kristin Neuhaus and the State Board of Healing Arts expect Friday’s hearing in Shawnee County District Court to be the final one before Judge Franklin Theis rules. Neuhaus is appealing the board’s revocation of her license a year ago, a decision preventing her from providing even charity care.
Neuhaus and her attorneys argue the revocation is a result of a long-standing campaign by abortion opponents to limit access to abortion. Neuhaus provided second opinions that Tiller needed under Kansas law to perform late-term abortions at his Wichita clinic, and the board’s case against Neuhaus stemmed from an anti-abortion leader’s complaint.
Bob Eye, one of Neuhaus’ attorneys, said absent abortion, “I doubt there would have even been a complaint.”
The 55-year-old Neuhaus gained national attention over her association with Tiller, who was among a few U.S. physicians known to perform abortions in the final weeks of pregnancy. He was shot to death in May 2009 by a man professing strong anti-abortion views.
Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2013/07/07/4333673/judge-reviews-doctors-fate-in.html#storylink=cpy