February 18, 2004 Murder Prompts Fetal Homicide Bill by Keith Peters, Washington, D.C., correspondent In something of an echo of the issues in the Laci Peterson case, the murders of a pregnant woman and her preborn baby in Kentucky have rekindled interest in laws protecting children in the womb. Eighteen-year-old Ashley Lyons and her preborn son, Landon, were slain last month in Scott County, Kentucky. Although no suspects are in custody, the killings have prompted introduction of a measure in the state Legislature to classify a child in the womb as a human being — and a crime victim — if the mother is harmed or killed. "It protects the unborn child from negligent or deliberate attempts to harm it or the mother during the time she's carrying the child," said Kent Ostrander, executive director of the Family Foundation of Kentucky. If the bill passes, Kentucky will become the 16th state to recognize a preborn child as a crime victim at all periods of a woman's pregnancy. At least nine others are considering such laws, and President Bush is urging Congress to pass a federal version of a fetal homicide law, the Unborn Victims of Violence Act, dubbed "Laci and Conner's Law" after Laci Peterson and her preborn son. Douglas Johnson, legislative director of the National Right to Life Committee, said all this activity is the result of grass-roots reaction to tragedy. "More and more family members who have lost loved ones in crimes — born and unborn loved ones — are speaking out and urging lawmakers to pass real fetal-homicide laws," he said. Their efforts, he added, are influencing public opinion. "Eighty percent of the public, including most of the people who favor abortion," Johnson said, "say that they do believe a criminal should be charged with homicide when he takes the life of an unborn child in a crime." Kentucky Gov. Ernie Fletcher has announced he will sign the legislation and is optimistic it will reach his desk soon. |
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