A former cadet from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, who previously pleaded guilty to assaulting his then-girlfriend by covertly administering abortion pills and sedatives, leading to a miscarriage, is now facing a civil lawsuit. The legal action seeks unspecified monetary damages.
Caleb Suh entered a guilty plea in June to a charge of assault resulting in substantial bodily injury to a dating partner. This charge is linked to an event that occurred in March 2022, involving a woman who was also a cadet at West Point at the time.
Following the incident, Suh pursued studies at two Ivy League institutions, including one where he commenced classes after his guilty plea. He completed his degree at Cornell University this year and was enrolled as a graduate student at Columbia University when the woman initiated the civil complaint on October 28.
Details of the Alleged Incident
According to court documents, the woman wished to continue the pregnancy, but Suh did not want her to have the child. Suh confessed to a judge that he created an online pharmacy account using the woman's identity to order abortion medication via mail. He also obtained Xanax from a friend, intending to use it as a sedative. Suh then allegedly tricked his girlfriend into consuming what he claimed was a prenatal protein shake. Once she was asleep, Suh admitted to inserting the abortion pills into her mouth and vagina.
Erin Hawley, an attorney with Alliance Defending Freedom, a pro-life legal organization, described the woman's experience as an "absolutely horrific situation." Hawley, who was instrumental in the legal efforts leading to the overturning of Roe v. Wade, commented, "She was drugged and assaulted with abortion pills, even though Mr. Suh knew she very much wanted that child. I expect that he will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law."
The lawsuit details that Suh left the woman alone and incapacitated. When she awoke and discovered she was bleeding, she attempted to contact him, but he reportedly ignored her calls. She was subsequently hospitalized. While the woman received medical attention, Suh allegedly returned to the online pharmacy's website to post inquiries about whether medical professionals could detect the medication he had administered.
"She’s suffered a life-changing event that she is still dealing with and will be dealing with for the rest of her life," her lawyer, Russell Kornblith, stated recently. "We hope that by our client coming forward with this lawsuit, it will, at least, ensure that this never happens to anyone else."
During a court hearing in June, Suh offered an apology, stating he was "deeply and immeasurably sorry for my actions and the pain that I have caused."
Legal Proceedings and Academic Enrollment
Suh's sentencing in the criminal case has been postponed until January 21, 2027, at the request of his attorney, to allow him to complete his semester at Columbia University. Prosecutors did not object to this delay. His attorney also informed the court that Suh has been participating in a three-month life skills program designed for individuals facing federal charges.
Suh transferred to Cornell University for the 2023-2024 academic year. The university issued a statement indicating that on his application, Suh responded "no" when asked if he had ever been found responsible for a disciplinary violation at a prior institution. Cornell noted that West Point had confirmed Suh was in good academic standing and eligible for return. According to Cornell's website, Suh had been involved in health and medicine studies and aspired to become a physician.
In September, Suh began a master's program at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health, as communicated by his lawyer to the federal judge handling his case. An individual familiar with the matter indicated that applicants to the Mailman School are not typically asked about their criminal records, but they are questioned regarding disciplinary actions for student conduct violations or academic performance issues. This source added that Suh's application contained no mention of previous disciplinary proceedings.
Discussion on Abortion Medication Regulations
Hawley also commented on the broader implications of the case regarding the distribution of abortion medication. "Regardless of one’s position on abortion, it is not good medicine to allow an abortion drug to be shipped across the country to a dorm room or a home without a woman ever having talked to a doctor," she asserted.
She continued, "The defendant in this case impersonated his girlfriend, had those drugs shipped and then assaulted her with them. That would never have happened if the FDA had done its job in 2023. Hopefully, when the courts do their job and reinstate that safeguard, it won’t continue to happen." Hawley's remarks referred to Alliance Defending Freedom's legal challenge against the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) 2023 decision to remove the requirement for in-person dispensing of mifepristone, a requirement the agency had ceased enforcing in 2021.
However, the assault in this case occurred in March 2022, predating the FDA's formal 2023 decision. The FDA had announced in April 2021 its temporary suspension of the in-person dispensing requirement during the COVID-19 public health emergency. In December 2021, the agency declared its intention to permanently remove this requirement, a change officially implemented in January 2023.
The FDA has stated that its decision to eliminate the in-person dispensing requirement followed a thorough review of available evidence. Other restrictions, such as prescriber certification requirements, remained in effect.
Hawley reiterated her belief that the incident at West Point would have been prevented if the in-person dispensing requirement had remained in place. "Horrific incidents like that throughout the country would never have happened if that basic safeguard had been in place," she concluded.
