Hearing skipped for abortion gang

“House of Horrors” abortion doctor Kermit Gosnell and nine co-defendants appeared in court yesterday as their attorneys unsuccessfully fought a motion to hold them for trial without a preliminary hearing.

Last week, Gosnell claimed he and wife Pearl couldn’t afford attorneys, but Judge Renee Cardwell Hughes ordered them to do so. Yesterday, it was revealed that Center City attorney Jack McMahon will represent Gosnell, who faces eight counts of murder and other offenses stemming from a grand-jury investigation of the squalid Women’s Medical Society. McMahon associate Mary T. Maran will represent Pearl Gosnell.

The district attorney’s office has not yet said whether they’ll seek the death penalty.

Judge Hughes granted the commonwealth’s motion. The prosecution will turn over discovery to the nine attorneys on hand within 10 days. Hughes said a preliminary hearing in a case of this depth would be expensive and put a strain on the courthouse as evidenced by the slew of officers in the packed courtroom.

“I almost shut down the Court of Common Pleas today because I have all the sheriff’s officers with me,” she said. Two defendants are free on bail.