Trenton, NJ – In a marathon hearing lasting nearly nine hours, the New Jersey Board of Medical Examiners formally suspended the medical license of Steven Chase Brigham, ruling that he presented “a clear and imminent danger to the public health and safety.” The Board will forward his case to an Administrative judge for a revocation hearing.
In its ruling, the Board stated, “Dr. Brigham has consistently and repetitively engaged in manipulative and deceptive behavior designed to circumvent the requirements of the board’s termination of pregnancy regulation and to eviscerate the protections that those regulations seek to afford to New Jersey patients.”
The Board took action to revoke Brigham’s license after a botched abortion incident brought to light his scheme to begin late-term abortions in New Jersey and complete them at a secret abortion mill in Elkton, Maryland, where Brigham is unlicensed. Brigham used an 88-year old disabled physician, George Shepard, Jr., who holds a Maryland medical license, to cover for the fact that he was doing abortions in Maryland without a license, which is a felony in that state.
Brigham admitted to doing abortions in Maryland, but argued that he believed it was legal for him to do so as long as Shepard was in the office. Shepard was deceptively listed on Brigham’s Elkton clinic records as the physician of record even though he suffered a stroke that disabled an arm, making it impossible for Shepard to participate or assist in the risky late-term surgical abortions.
The New Jersey Attorney General’s office, which argued for suspension, told the Board that it found Brigham’s claims that he did not think he was breaking the law by practicing in Maryland without credibility.
“Brigham has now admitted that he did in fact commit abortions in Maryland, where he is not licensed. Based on that, we renew our call for criminal charges in Maryland and add to it our call on the State of New Jersey to criminally charge Brigham as well,” said Operation Rescue President Troy Newman.
“In addition to revocation, criminal charges are necessary because traditional discipline does not work on Brigham. The only thing that will stop his crime spree is to put him in jail where he belongs. In addition, his abortion mills need to be closed in the interest of public safety. As long as they remain open, women remain at risk from Brigham’s dangerous and deceptive business practices.”
Background
