Doctor found guilty of first-degree murder in Philadelphia abortion case

PHILADELPHIA (CNN) -- A jury Monday found a Philadelphia abortion provider guilty of three counts of first-degree murder.

Dr. Kermit Gosnell, 72, was accused of killing babies by using scissors to cut their spinal cords. Authorities alleged that some of the infants were born alive and viable during the sixth, seventh and eighth months of pregnancy.

Monday's first-degree murder conviction means Gosnell, who is not a board-certified obstetrician or gynecologist, could be sentenced to death.

Defense attorney Jack McMahon said he respected the jury's efforts in the lengthy, high-profile trial.

"We had a chance to put out our issues, and a jury has spoken, and we respect that verdict," he told reporters outside the courthouse. "It was a lot of hard work on both sides."

Gosnell also was accused in the death of Karnamaya Mongar, 41, who died of an anesthetic overdose during a second-trimester abortion at his West Philadelphia clinic. In that case, the jury found him guilty of involuntary manslaughter.

Gosnell was also found guilty of 21 counts of abortion of the unborn, 24 weeks or older.

In Pennsylvania, abortions past 24 weeks are illegal unless the health of the mother is at stake.