Pro-abortion man orders girlfriend to abort, beats her when she refuses, tells since she disrespected “his request to have an abortion, he won’t respect her”

Man ordered to stand trial for alleged assault of pregnant ex-girlfriend
Sunday, October 17, 2010/ Pottstown Mercury

POTTSTOWN – A West Pottsgrove man must answer to charges in Montgomery County Court that he allegedly punched his onetime girlfriend in the stomach while she was five months pregnant.

Roderick Douglas Gaines, 29, of East Vine Street, after a preliminary hearing Thursday before District Court Judge Thomas A. Palladino, was ordered to stand trial on charges of aggravated assault of an unborn child, simple assault, harassment, terroristic threats and recklessly endangering other persons in connection with a July altercation with his former girlfriend at a Pottstown residence.

The victim was the sole witness to testify during the hearing.

Assistant District Attorney Wallis Brooks successfully fought Gaines’ request for lower bail. As a result, Gaines, who previously lived on North York Street in Pottstown, remains in the county jail in lieu of $35,000 cash bail while awaiting trial.

“It’s outrageous to strike another individual, but it’s compounded in this case by the fact she is a much smaller individual and was five months pregnant,” alleged Brooks, who leads the district attorney’s domestic violence prosecution unit.

According to court papers, police received a report from Gaines’ then-girlfriend on July 3, claiming she was assaulted by Gaines during the early morning hours inside a Pottstown residence. The victim told police Gaines wanted her to have an abortion, and they had been arguing about the issue for several months, according to court documents.

The victim told police she awakened during the early morning hours to Gaines punching her in her back after he had been out drinking.

The victim had bruises on her back and also on her arm from when she tried to block Gaines’ punches, police alleged.

Court papers indicate the victim reported that Gaines struck her with a closed fist and told her if she screamed during the incident, he would “give her something to scream about.” Additionally, the victim told police that Gaines said, “she was forcing him to have this baby and she should respect that he wants her to have an abortion. Since she won’t respect his request to have an abortion, he won’t respect her.“

When Gaines passed out from apparent intoxication and exhaustion after allegedly assaulting the woman, she went to sleep in another room, police said. The victim told police she woke to Gaines attempting to “pull her close” and she pulled away from him and questioned him about the assault.

The victim said she wanted to go to the hospital when, “unprovoked, (Gaines) took his shirt off and struck” the victim with it and then slapped the victim with an open hand on her face.

Gaines then punched the victim in the stomach about three times while she was sitting on the couch, according to court papers. Gaines threatened the victim and her family, including making a threat to have the victim’s sister “raped with a broom,” according to court papers.

The woman eventually was able to leave the residence and notify police. The woman was evaluated at a hospital after the incident, authorities said.

Gaines, who reportedly could not be found for several weeks, was finally taken into custody by West Pottsgrove police in September. At that time, Gaines allegedly gave police a false name and other false identifying information, according to court papers.