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Former Abortion Clinic Staffer Luhra Tivis

Luhra Tivis was a state officer in the Kansas Chapter of the National Organization for Women. She was a deathscort and finally a medical secretary for George Tiller.

Tiller had been notorious for years for his late term abortions, bringing pregnant women from all over the country, putting them up in a motel and aborting their babies in their second and even third trimester of pregnancy. Luhra had witnessed many of Tiller's grotesque practices, his deception with both the pregnant women and with the public.

Luhra Tivis

I was unemployed and I got a call from Manpower Temporary Services and they said, "Would you mind working in an abortion clinic?" I said, "Oh, no." I belonged to NOW and I was pro-choice so they sent me out to Tiller's clinic. I worked there for about a week getting his computer records going again. He asked, "Would you like to have a permanent job?" and I said "Sure."

So we went back in his office and I sat by his desk as he started explaining in a more formal way what he did there and why he did it. He told me that he was the supporter of women's rights, that he considered himself to be spokesman for women who could not get up and speak for themselves.

He said that he only did late abortions on severely deformed babies or for reasons of a medical crisis—in others words, for a valid reason. Then very quickly he said "And besides that, at this stage, those babies' lungs are so underdeveloped that they couldn't survive outside the mother anyway." I knew in my heart at that point in time that it was wrong, but I said to myself, "He's a doctor. I can trust him."

Trained To Sell Abortions

After I had been there for that period of time, they decided they would train me to answer the phones. I thought they were going to tell me how they want the information sheet filled out and how to keep the phone record and this and that. But what I was handed instead was a packet of information—materials to study—on how to be a high-pressure salesperson over the phone, like telemarketing: how to convince somebody to buy your product.

I started doing all the filing on the medical records. In over 95% of these babies, and it's probably more than that, there was nothing wrong with those babies at all—nothing—and these were third trimester abortions.

There was nothing wrong with those babies at all—nothing—and these were third trimester abortions

I started wanting to go out in the waiting room and tell people to leave. I was very frightened because by that time I knew how wealthy Tiller was. I knew how influential he was. His father had practiced family medicine in Wichita and if you want to talk about entrenched, that man was entrenched. And I felt helpless.

Describing The Procedure

I later asked Alana, "How does this work?" So that's how I found out some more of the details and I will explain it to you as it happens. Day 1, 2, 3.

On day one the women come into Tiller's clinic. He does two groups a week of twelve women, so that's a couple dozen women a week getting a third trimester abortion at that clinic.

They come in. They pay their money in cash and they have a sonogram, first thing and he tells them, "Oh, you're not that far along." He's very happy to take their money. Then the first thing he does to them is he kills that baby, because once that baby is dead, they can't change their mind and get their money back.

He uses the sonogram—a tool for life—to kill the baby. He uses that to guide the needle into the baby's heart and he injects it with digoxin, which is a heart medication and it slows the baby's heart down.

He uses the sonogram—a tool for life—to kill the baby.

The second day, the women come in and they have little group counseling sessions, but they don't do any counseling until after that baby is already dead. On that second day, they get a second pack of laminaria; they got the first one the first day. They are gradually expanding, dilating the cervix. But it's dangerous to put more than just a few laminaria, so you're causing damage to the cervix by doing that. They also start receiving drugs on that second day to stimulate the body to go into labor.

Then on the third day, they come back and he has a room in the basement—that is his labor and delivery room. It is just one big room about 20 feet by 20, or so, maybe a little bit bigger and there's cots lined up with the head of the cot against the wall. You know how sometimes in a hospital room they will have a little curtain you can pull between the two beds in a shared room? Other than that, those women have no privacy. They are in full view of each other and so there's twelve women laboring down there to have these babies and they're so far along, I mean, they are third trimester babies, that they are basically going through just as much, if not more, labor than you would to have a live delivery—Tiller charges them about that much, too.

There was one woman from Southwest Kansas, I wish I knew who she was. Tiller passed this letter around and made all the staff read it, because I guess he thought we were responsible somehow. She had had her third trimester abortion on the advice of her doctor because there was some severe medical problem, but she regretted it and was very, very sorry she had been talked into it. She wrote him a letter and told him it was the most horrible experience of her life.

Although I was not down in the basement for any more than just a few seconds when those women were down there, I got a very vivid description of what actually went on down there from this woman. She said that women were crying and screaming and there was blood everywhere—blood running down their legs and it was just horrible.

. . . women were crying and screaming and there was blood everywhere—blood running down their legs and it was just horrible.

He was so scared. But first let me tell you how tight this man is. He paid me $6.00 an hour and I have a college degree. He is so tight. That woman had paid—and this was back in 1988—$3,000 because it was a complicated procedure. He now charges more than that. He refunded every penny to her, because he was trying to mitigate any damage that might possibly come to him because of her complaint.

On the Fourth day they come back for a check-up and if everything checks out OK they'll go on home. But there are complications that come up every now and then. I didn't know about all of them because he didn't want anyone to know about them if he could help it. I have heard since then that he has had in one week, two or three botches have to go to the hospital. God only knows what happens to those babies that are born alive there.

A Modern Day Jonah

He nets a million dollars a year. (And believe me he spread it around, because I mailed out the checks to the legislators, so I know.) And he is only one doctor at one clinic. He is not the only late term abortionist. There is a lot of money involved in this and that's why he is doing it.

As I said, I did get out of it and I just thank God that I did. I'm a direct descendent of Jonah, I believe. I am one of the most stubborn and obstinate people God has ever had to deal with.

If He had told me why He was sending me in there before I went, I probably would have been scared to death, even though I thought I was pro-choice. I can't say I am glad I was there, but I'm glad that I'm standing here today to give my testimony to you, because if I can inspire you to help save babies' lives, that's what I want to do.

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