Pro-life leader: Morin trial reveals tragedy of abortion

Madrid, Spain, Oct 18, 2012 / 13:55 pm

Spanish pro-life leader Josep Miro, who is president of e-Christians and a member of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, said the trial of Doctor Carlos Morin has put a spotlight on the tragedy of the abortion industry.

Speaking to CNA on Oct. 16, Miro said the trial of the Spanish doctor accused of performing more than 100 illegal abortions has revealed "the tragedy behind this. There are women who see their children as a burden, from the economic point of view, and there are some groups of people who are dedicated to this for the sole purpose of making a lot of money."

Dr. Carlos Morin, together with 12 collaborators, performed dozens of illegal abortions in his clinics in Barcelona. Morin is accused of engaging in the falsification of records, doing late-term abortions without consulting a psychiatrist, and asking patients to sign false statements that they were not more than 22 weeks pregnant, the legal limit in Spain.

Miro said the impact of the trial will go far beyond the borders of Spain, since "it the largest abortion trial that has ever taken place in Europe," with the largest number of defendants and the greatest amount of years ever requested by prosecutors (more than 300) as a sentence.

He also said the case has exposed the cruelty of those who participate in abortions, as demonstrated by the "mere fact of the shredders" used to dispose of babies' remains at Morin's abortion clinics.

The trial is shedding a light on an otherwise hidden place, "so that society can become aware of the human miseries that occur there," he said.

Miro called it surprising that in "a case on abortion there would be protected witnesses." 

"This is not usual, as even in criminal cases there are no protected witnesses, and this is only allowed when there is a fear, deemed reasonable by a judge, that harm could come or that there is an organization capable of causing this harm," he explained.

He also noted that the evidence against Morin is extensive and includes "hours of recorded phone calls that have been admitted as evidence, confiscated documentation that clearly shows that ultrasounds were manipulated."

Miro, whose group is part of a coalition that is suing Morin, said donations to help fund the lawsuit against Morin have been ongoing.  "We have been able to cover two extra expenses that we have … which are the attorneys, because the trial has lasted a long time, and we have set up a small news service for the media, so that we can respond to them and provide background information that can help them become familiar with the matter."