Philadelphia ( CNN ) -- In the fourth day of deliberations in the trial of a Philadelphia abortion doctor , jurors asked Friday for a description of the babies the doctor is accused of killing . Prosecutors say Kermit Gosnell , 72 , killed babies by using scissors to cut their spinal cords . Authorities allege that some of the infants were born alive and viable during the sixth , seventh and eighth months of pregnancy . In Pennsylvania , abortions past 24 weeks are illegal unless the health of the mother is at stake . In addition to asking for the description of the four babies , the jurors asked to be given the written definition of RICO charges , and a property receipt for the medications removed from the clinic and put into evidence . RICO charges extend from the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act . After consulting with attorneys , Judge Jeffrey Minehart answered the jury in the deliberation room . Gosnell and his co-defendant , Eileen O'Neill , 56 , were not in the courtroom . The nature of the questions indicate the jury has completed the charge sheet for O'Neill -- who is charged with practicing without a license , not performing illegal abortions -- and have moved on to Gosnell . If found guilty of first-degree murder , Gosnell , who is not a board-certified obstetrician or gynecologist , could be sentenced to death . Gosnell originally faced first-degree murder charges in the deaths of seven babies and a count of third-degree murder in the death of Karnamaya Mongar , 41 . Mongar died of an anesthetic overdose during a second-trimester abortion . Minehart threw out three of the seven first-degree murder charges last week . On the first day of deliberations , the jury sent out questions regarding one of the name of a patient and the definition of `` theft by deception . '' O'Neill , who is a medical school graduate , is charged with participating in the operation of a corrupt organization and theft by deception for operating without a license to practice medicine . Gosnell also is charged with conspiracy , abortion at 24 or more weeks of pregnancy , theft , corruption of minors , solicitation and other related offenses . He and O'Neill have pleaded not guilty . The babies Gosnell is accused of killing include one that a former employee testified whined after it was expelled from its mother ; one that a former employee testified was a large baby boy that breathed before having its neck snipped and was placed into a plastic box the size of a shoebox ; one whose neck was snipped after an employee played with the baby ; and one that was delivered into a toilet and appeared to be swimming before being scooped up and having its neck snipped . Defense attorney Jack McMahon has maintained that none of the infants was killed ; rather , he said , they were already deceased as a result of Gosnell previously administering the drug Digoxin , which can cause abortion . In his closing argument , he accused prosecutors of `` the most extraordinary hype and exaggeration in the history of the criminal justice system , '' even adding that they are `` elitist '' and `` racist . '' Gosnell , who is African-American , has been accused by authorities of preying on low-income , minority women . McMahon argued that Gosnell offered access to health care for people who were poor and without health insurance . Minehart also has tossed out all five abuse-of-corpse charges relating to storing the feet of aborted fetuses in plastic containers . The judge dismissed one count of infanticide , the intentional killing of an infant . Gosnell also is accused of reusing unsanitary instruments ; performing procedures in filthy rooms , including some in which litter boxes and animals allegedly were present at the time ; and allowing unlicensed employees -- including a teenage high school student -- to perform operations and administer anesthesia . Nine others who worked in the west Philadelphia medical office , including Gosnell 's wife and sister-in-law , also were charged . Eight have pleaded guilty .
The jury is in the fourth day of deliberations in the trial of Kermit Gosnell . A former Pennsylvania state trooper testified that he was ordered to kill a woman who had an abortion at his home because she didn't have health insurance. They also ask for a definition of RICO charges and a list of medications taken from the clinic .