Houston doctor accused of illegal abortions State, county told photos taken in 2011 back claims that he did illegal procedures then

Dr. Douglas Karpen, say other Texas abortion providers, keeps his distance from them. Dr. Douglas Karpen, say other Texas abortion providers, keeps his distance from them. Photo: E. Joseph Deering, Staff Photo: E. Joseph Deering, Staff Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Houston doctor accused of illegal abortions 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

Harris County authorities and the Texas Department of State Health Services are investigating a local doctor accused Wednesday by an anti-abortion group of performing late-term abortions in 2011.

"We have several people looking into the allegations," said Sara Marie Kinney, a spokeswoman for the Harris County District Attorney.

In an email, DSHS spokeswoman Carrie Williams said the agency, which monitors abortion facilities across the state, is "aware of the allegations, and we are investigating." Added Williams: "This is a very high priority for us."

The anti-abortion group Operation Rescue issued a report on Wednesday saying that three former employees of Dr. Douglas Karpen's Houston clinic had relayed accounts of fetuses that had been illegally aborted and provided them with grisly photographs.

Those allegations could not be independently verified Wednesday. Karpen could not be reached for comment.

Pay stubs back story

After seeing pay stubs from the clinic while helping the employees fill out unemployment claims, the organization's president, Troy Newman, said he believes them and has faith in their allegations.

"They provided substantial evidence that they were there," Newman said. "They took videos inside the abortion clinic, and they gave detailed information about what was going on there."

Newman said Operation Rescue has been "hounding" Karpen for three years, including filing complaints with the Texas Medical Board that, he said, were ignored.

"I've got evidence that this is going on all over the country and this is the first guy I'm going after."

The report, coming to light just days after Philadelphia physician Kermit Gosnell was convicted of three counts of murder in the deaths of three infants who had been born alive, led Texas Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst to release a statement demanding an investigation.

"I read with disgust about the allegations of Houston-based abortionist Douglas Karpen performing illegal late-term abortions surrounded by appalling sanitary conditions in his clinic," Dewhurst said in the statement. "The Harris County authorities should perform a full-scale investigation and take action against those who broke state law."

Medical license clear

Leigh Hopper, speaking for the Texas Medical Board, said the report by Operation Rescue on Karpen and his clinic "raises concerns, for certain." But she said the doctor's license is "free and clear currently."

His licensing page on the board's website shows no disciplinary action.

Hopper declined to say whether there have been complaints lodged against Karpen; such information is not available to the public. But in its online post, Operation Rescue links to a February letter that appears to show the medical board dismissing an investigation into Karpen.

Hopper wouldn't confirm the letter, but said it "doesn't look fake to me, and it reads like the sort of letter TMB sends out routinely."

Becca Aaronson is a reporter for the Texas Tribune, a nonpartisan nonprofit media organization based in Austin.