Gosnell jury again focuses on codefendant

The Philadelphia jury in the murder trial of abortion doctor Kermit Gosnell finished a second full day of deliberations Thursday without a verdict.

The Common Pleas Court jury of seven women and five men resumes its review Friday.

On Thursday, the jurors' focus seemed to remain on codefendant Eileen O'Neill. The jury returned to court once, to have the testimony of a prosecution witness read back.

Lisa Dungee testified that she saw O'Neill in 2009 and believed she was a doctor.

O'Neill, 56, of Phoenixville, worked in Gosnell's family practice at the Women's Medical Society clinic at 3801 Lancaster Ave. But she was not licensed, and prosecutors allege that she could not legally see patients unless Gosnell was in the clinic.

Investigators testified that when they interviewed O'Neill in March 2010, after the clinic was raided, she admitted she saw 70 percent to 75 percent of her patients when Gosnell was not there.

Dungee testified that at her appointment with O'Neill, she did not notice Gosnell or another doctor in the building.

Unlike Gosnell, O'Neill is not charged with murder or performing illegal abortions. She is charged with six counts of theft by deception - posing as a licensed doctor - that form the basis of racketeering and conspiracy counts for her alleged role in a corrupt organization.

Gosnell, 72, is charged with four counts of first-degree murder: babies allegedly born alive during illegal late-term abortions and killed by him.

A guilty verdict on any of the first-degree murder counts would result in a proceeding in which the jury would hear evidence to decide whether Gosnell should be sentenced to death or life in prison without parole.

Gosnell is charged with third-degree murder in the 2009 death of abortion patient Karnamaya Mongar, 41, of Virginia, who prosecutors say was overdosed on Demerol by his untrained staff.

Gosnell also faces 24 counts of performing abortions past Pennsylvania's 24-week gestational age, 227 courts of performing abortions without the mandated 24-hour waiting period, and racketeering and corrupt organizations.