Allentown, PA – Operation Rescue has confirmed that two Pennsylvania abortion clinics with ties to abortionist Steven Chase Brigham, have stopped abortions, at least temporarily. American Women’s Services abortion clinics in Allentown and Pittsburgh, are not scheduling women for abortions.

One AWS receptionist told a pro-life activist posing as a potential abortion patient that the abortionist for the Allentown and Pittsburgh locations had taken a “temporary leave of absence” and it was not known when he would return.

A receptionist answered a call today that was placed to a phone number listed for Allentown Medical Services, identifying it as “American Women’s Services,” which is a chain of 15 abortion clinics operated by Brigham in four states. The receptionist referred the caller to “our Fredrick, Maryland, clinic”, another office known to be owned by Brigham.

The receptionist warned the caller that abortions could only be done up to 12 weeks in Maryland. Brigham stands accused of murder in that state for illegally aborting babies that were as old as 36 weeks.

“It seems suspicious that at about the same time Brigham was arrested for murder and jailed, the Pennsylvania abortionist went on a so-called leave of absence. Could it be that Brigham was aborting babies illegally Pennsylvania without a license and against a state order? Given his long and well-documented history of refusing to operate within the confines of the law, we think that is highly possible,” said Cheryl Sullenger, Operation Rescue’s Senior Policy Advisor.

Brigham’s Pennsylvania medical license is inactive and cannot be renewed. In July, 2010, Brigham was banned by the State of Pennsylvania from operating or controlling any abortion clinics in that state citing violations that endangered the public. Brigham circumvented the order by transferring ownership of his clinics to Rose Health Services, a company said to be owned by Brigham’s mother. His Allentown and Pittsburgh abortion clinics and are listed as part of Brigham’s chain on his AWS web site.

“We have made attempts to draw attention to Brigham’s continued involvement with abortion in Pennsylvania with the authorities in that state, but they insist that legally there is nothing they can do. I’m just not buying that,” said Sullenger. “Hopefully it will be a moot point and abortions will never resume at those two locations. His abortion empire is finally crumbling and it is only a matter of time before all his notorious abortion mills close for good.”

Brigham has been charged in Maryland with eleven counts of murder related to illegal late-term abortions on viable babies and released earlier this week after posting a $500,000 bond. He was never licensed in Maryland. His only remaining medical license in New Jersey has been suspended.

Brigham was arrested after a 16-month grand jury investigation culminated in murder indictments for Brigham and his Utah associate Nicola Riley after a botched abortion led to a police raid of his “secret” Elkton abortion clinic where the remains of 35 late-term aborted babies were discovered in a freezer. Riley is due to be extradited to Maryland from her home state of Utah where she has been held since December 28, 2011, without bail.

Salt Lake City, Utah – Abortionist Nicola Irene Riley made a brief appearance in court this morning in Salt Lake City, Utah, where she waived an extradition hearing, clearing the way for her to be transported to Maryland to face murder charges.

Riley was indicted last month by a Maryland grand jury on one count of First-Degree Murder, one count of Second-Degree Murder, and one Count of Conspiracy to commit Murder for her participation in an illegal bi-state late-term abortion scheme with the notorious New Jersey abortionist Steven Chase Brigham. She continues to be held without bail.

Brigham was charged and has already been arraigned on five counts each of First and Second-Degree Murder and one count of conspiracy to commit murder. He was released on January 6, from the Cecil County Detention Facility after posting a $500,000 bail with a combination of personal assets and the use of a bail bondsman.

Riley and Brigham were caught when Riley perforated the uterus and bowel of a late-term abortion patient at a secret late-term abortion mill in Elkton, Maryland. Their suspicious behavior at the hospital emergency room, where they had transported the bleeding patient in a rental car, raised red flags with ER workers who reported them to the police. Their clinic was later raided by police, who discovered the bodies of 35 aborted babies in a freezer. The babies were as old as 36 weeks gestation, according to documents seized during the raid.

In September, 2010, Operation Rescue filed a complaint with the State Attorney in Elkton, Maryland, asking for criminal charges against Brigham, and launched grassroots efforts to bring him to justice.

Further investigations by Operation Rescue uncovered that Riley had lied about a previous criminal conviction and prison sentence in order to gain licensure in three states. She is currently banned from doing abortions in any state.

Riley is expected to be transported to Maryland within the next few days where she will be arraigned.

Read detailed background on Riley and Brigham’s murder case

Virginia Beach, Virginia – A life-threatening abortion injury at a Planned Parenthood abortion clinic in Virginia Beach, Virginia, has come to light two months after it occurred thanks to pro-life activists who worked to document the incident.

Operation Rescue has published a recording of the 911 call placed by an obviously shaken non-medical Planned Parenthood employee on October 14, 2011. (See embedded video below.) The recording was obtained by pro-life activist Louantha Kerr through an open records request.

The 911 recording was heavily redacted by Virginia Beach city officials. Nevertheless, it shows a medical emergency involving heavy bleeding on a 28-year old abortion patient that could not be controlled by two Planned Parenthood physicians.

Photographs taken by Kerr at the time of the incident depict an ambulance at the scene and a row of Planned Parenthood workers trying to block pro-lifers from documenting the event. At least one Planned Parenthood worker blocked cameras with an umbrella.

Ironically, a sign hanging above the door of the Planned Parenthood abortion clinic read, “Planning for Parenthood is Sacred Work.”

“Instead of ‘planning for parenthood’, that abortion clinic is more likely planning to profit from dead babies and broken women who have to live for the rest of their lives with the fact that they killed their own babies,” said Operation Rescue spokesperson Cheryl Sullenger. “With 96 per cent of all pregnant women entering Planned Parenthood being sold abortions, it’s not hard to see how abortion is a cash cow for them. Based on years of experience investigating abortion clinics, we have found it is standard practice for them to place profit above the health and safety of women.”

The clinic involved in the botched abortion injury has recently applied to the state to upgrade to outpatient hospital status and add two operating rooms, apparently to avoid running afoul of Virginia’s new clinic regulations that went into effect on January 1, 2012. Abortion clinics have until March 30, 2012, to apply for a new facility license and undergo inspections.

“We call on Virginia regulators to deny Planned Parenthood’s request to expand their business,” said Sullenger. “If the abortions they are doing now are not safe, they certainly should not be allowed to inflict their dangerous abortion practices on even more women. There should be a thorough investigation of the October abortion injury and strong consideration should be given to shutting down this clinic altogether.”