The Case of George Tiller

In secret testimony, Caruso was grilled about what USC knew about disgraced gynecologist Kermit Gosnell and the clinic’s potential ties to Planned Parenthood.

The most explosive testimony came from Dr. George Tiller, who was killed last month.

“We need to bring down the state,” Caruso told Tiller.

“This case isn’t about abortion,” an incredulous Tiller replied.

That prompted Caruso to ask Tiller to tell him about an incident with another doctor, a fellow gynecologist, who was accused of performing illegal late-term abortions.

“Doctor Gosnell is a former classmate of a very famous gynecologist who was very famous and well respected and highly regarded in the community,” Caruso said.

Tiller, who had been attending USC on a fellowship, agreed to tell Caruso about the accusation.

The conversation, taped by the defense team and later released in a statement, was described by Tiller’s attorney as a “conversation of the deepest friendship.” (The defense also released a statement distancing themselves from the tape. In it, they emphasized that Dr. Caruso’s portrayal of their conversation as “cavalier” was an exaggeration, although Caruso’s characterization of the conversation was accurate.)

One thing Tiller said to Caruso, which the defense claims is “not true” but which the medical examiner’s report said was “factual,” was what the doctor told him in 2004 was “the most significant complaint” from a patient.

Gosnell and the clinic Tiller described

The question now raised by this explosive testimony: What did Caruso and Tiller know about Gosnell?

On June 9, 2009, Tiller, a married father of three young daughters, was called to the emergency room of the Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center in critical condition.

The doctor had suffered a seizure, which is not considered a medical emergency, according to doctors treating a patient who had also had a seizure on the same day.

Caruso had heard that Tiller had been in critical condition when he got to the hospital, and left to check on him.

When he returned

Leave a Comment