Botched abortion case which led to coma may go forward

Judge to review medical suit files
Woman says abortion botched seven years ago

Jimmie E. Gates
August 15, 2010

A 2005 lawsuit by a Jackson woman alleging an abortion doctor botched her procedure more than seven years ago may no longer be stalled, pending a judge’s ruling.

The lawsuit by Dashica Thomas and her husband, Christopher Thomas, was filed in Hinds County Circuit Court against Dr. Joseph Booker, Jackson Women’s Health Organization abortion clinic and its parent company, and others.

The botched abortion led to sepsis poisoning of Thomas’ body, said the Thomases’ attorney, Joe Ragland. Thomas was in a coma for more than a week, according to Ragland.

But there has been little action on the case. No trial date has been set. However, last week in court, Ragland said a factor stalling the suit was the inability to obtain documents from Booker.

“It’s a simple thing,” Ragland said of the request.

The documents Ragland seeks involve a civil suit Booker filed more than a decade ago over his eye surgery.

“You need good eyesight to perform an abortion,” Ragland said Friday.

William Hussey, an attorney for Booker and the Women’s Health Organization clinic, argued the information is not pertinent to the Thomas case.
“It’s 10 years old,” Hussey said of Booker’s suit in Harrison County.

Hinds County Circuit Judge Malcolm Harrison ordered Hussey to provide the documents to him for review. He will decide whether they should be turned over to Ragland.
Ragland said no trial date has been agreed upon because of scheduling conflicts.

The Jackson abortion clinic is the sole abortion clinic in the state.