Details of efforts to cover up aspects of Laura Smith's death were exposed by the grand jury investigation.

Contact: Troy Newman, President, 316-841-1700; Cheryl Sullenger, Senior Policy Advisor, 316-516-3034; both with Operation Rescue, info@operationrescue.org

HYANNIS, Mass., July 16 /Christian Newswire/ -- A Barnstable County Grand Jury issued an indictment today against abortionist Rapin Osathanondh for Involuntary Manslaughter in the death of 22-year old Laura Hope Smith. According to Smith's mother, Eileen, efforts to cover up details of her daughter's death came to light during the grand jury investigation.

Mrs. Smith told Operation Rescue that a Sheriff's Deputy in another county had provided Osathanondh and his abortion clinic staff with CPR training, then backdated the session to a date prior to Laura's death, with the full knowledge that someone had recently died at the clinic. Osathanondh and his staff had been uncertified in CPR until that time.

"I'm appalled that an officer of the law would be involved in that," Eileen Smith told Operation Rescue. "Thank God this has been exposed!"

Mrs. Smith has filed a complaint in Bristol County against the deputy.

Laura Smith had sought an abortion from Osathanondh on September 13, 2007, at his office, Women's Health Center, in the Cape Cod town of Hyannis. Smith was placed under full anesthesia when only Osathanondh and a non-medical receptionist were present. When Smith suddenly stopped breathing, the receptionist phoned 911, but it was too late. Smith died later that day.

Five months later, in response to a complaint filed by Eileen Smith, Osathanondh relinquished his medical license to the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine in the wake of pending disciplinary action and a criminal investigation. Osathanondh's two abortion offices were closed.

"We are gratified that Osathanondh will have to account for Laura's death in a court of law. It is not enough that he can no longer practice medicine. He must be held legally responsible for his crimes that resulted in the death of this young woman," said Operation Rescue spokesperson Cheryl Sullenger. "Only then can we say that some small measure of justice has been served."

"As for those who attempted to help Osathanondh cover up for his shocking lack of emergency training, we share Eileen's dismay that someone involved in law enforcement would lie to provide the abortionist cover," said Sullenger. "That is completely unacceptable behavior and that person should be fired immediately."

Operation Rescue was the first to break the news of Laura's death, and worked with Eileen to help bring Osathanondh to justice.
 
About Operation Rescue
Operation Rescue is one of the leading pro-life Christian activist organizations in the nation.  Operation Rescue recently made headlines when it bought and closed an abortion clinic in Wichita, Kansas and has become the voice of the pro-life activist movement in America.  Its activities are on the cutting edge of the abortion issue, taking direct action to restore legal personhood to the pre-born and stop abortion in obedience to biblical mandates.