Dr. John Berry, a Bostonian pathologist, serves as narrator of this Michael Crichton novel. His colleague and friend, Dr. Art Lee, is charged with the second-degree murder of Karen Randall, a young woman who received a botched abortion and bled to death. Unfortunately, Dr. Lee is the most well-known abortionist in the Boston area, making him an obvious target. On the other hand, he is accredited with being “very good” and selective with his abortion patients. Berry informs the reader, “Many of the younger doctors knew what Art was doing, and most agreed with him, because he exercised careful judgment in deciding his cases,” (p.32).

The story begins after Karen’s death. Her mother claims Karen admitted that Lee had performed her abortion. Allegedly Karen’s final words to her mother had been, “Lee did it.” This “confes

The article “Second-Degree Murder Trial of California Abortionist Delayed” dealt with the prosecution of a doctor who performed abortions in California. He was charged with killing Sharon Hamptlon during a procedure. The patient was four months pregnant, just like Karen was supposed to be in A Case of Need. Sharon bled to death, as did Karen. Emergency care could have saved Sharon, and would probably have saved Karen. According to the Riverside Count Deputy District Attorney, “This is about a person who knows he did a life-threatening act, knew it. . . could kill somebody, and consciously disregarded the danger.” This statement could have referred to the person who performed Karen’s abortion, a medical procedure in which there is a certain amount of risk to the patient even within the care of a physician. This operation should not be taken without due consideration especially when done outside the care of trained medical practitioners.

sion” is later proven to be untrue and Karen’s mother justifies her false story with a strong alibi. Dr. Berry chooses to take the case into his own hands as he interviews and questions everyone who knew Karen, including her pro-life father. Her father is the prominent Dr. J.D. Randall, a man already bitter towards Dr. Lee for being an abortionist, as well as Asian. As the evidence towards Lee diminishes, Berry gets himself into a several predicaments, but in the end single-handedly solves the mystery.

This article supports the events in the story A Case of Need. Young women were confused about the morality and legality of abortions. State laws made abortions illegal and required women desiring to terminate their pregnancies to do so secretly, often without medical assistance.

This author highlights several emotional factors that now cloud the issue of a woman’s right to have an abortion. This discussion supports Crichton’s story by adding layers of concern and opinions about the issue of abortion. Should Karen have been provided a legal means to end her alleged pregnancy? Did she have the right to choose? It was her body, but when does her fetus become a baby with the right to life? If Karen had had proper medical care, would she have survived? Was the risk that Dr. Lee took to abort early te

Some topics in this essay:
Dr Lee, America Abortion, John Buskind’s, Jimmy Carter’s, Day O’Connor, District Attorney, , Michael Crichton’s, Allegedly Karen’s, Dr Berry, dr lee, vs wade, roe vs wade, issue abortion, roe vs, events story, article supports, actions characters, abortions illegal, collision course, abortion issue,