Rapin Osathanondh
Practitioner Heads to Jail for Manslaughter, Killed Woman in Failed Abortion
Hyannis, MA (LifeNews.com) -- Massachusetts-based abortion practitioner Rapin Osathanondh was sentenced to six months in prison today after pleading guilty yesterday to the charge of manslaughter in relation to his killing 22-year-old Laura Smith in a failed abortion.
The plea in court from Osathanondh came on the third anniversary of Smith's death.
Smith died in September 2007 at his Women's Health Center abortion business after Osathanondh failed to provide proper medical care after the abortion went awry.
Court Judge Gary Nickerson sentenced Osathanondh to two years in prison but the plea bargain took that down to six months and the abortion practitioner will be eligible for parole after three months. He must then serve nine months of home confinement with electronic monitoring.
Osathanondh, who had faced a maximum of 20 years in prison, also received three years probation. The abortion "doctor" will not be able to practice or teach medicine, under the terms of the agreement.
With Smith's adoptive parents watching the proceedings, Osathanondh pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter following an agreement between Cape and Islands First Assistant District Attorney Brian Glenny and the abortion practitioner's attorneys.
The plea followed several hours of negotiating back and forth between Glenny, who reportedly spoke with Smith's parents during the exchanges. Defense attorneys Paul Cirel and Serina Barkley of Boston worked with Osathanondh, the Cape Cod Times indicated.
The newspaper indicated the agreement allows the abortion practitioner 24 hours to make arrangements to settle the civil lawsuit Smith's parents filed against him. Osathanondh agreed to pay the family $2 million as a punitive measure. Ref. Source 4