Laci Peterson case tied to Roe debate

Daily Reocrd/Drudge Report ^ | April 20, 2003 | Rob Jennings

[AnimalLover]

The head of the National Organization for Women's Morris County chapter is opposing a double-murder charge in the Laci Peterson case, saying it could provide ammunition to the pro-life lobby.

"If this is murder, well, then any time a late-term fetus is aborted, they could call it murder," Morris County NOW President Mavra Stark said on Saturday.

Prosecutors in California announced Friday their intention to charge Scott Peterson, 30, of Modesto, both with killing his wife and their unborn son. Laci Peterson was eight months pregnant when she disappeared Dec. 24.

Both bodies were identified on Friday after washing up on the shore of San Francisco Bay.

More than two dozen states, including California, have adopted "fetal homicide" statutes, and prosecutors often will seek a double-murder charge when a pregnant woman is killed.

Marie Tasy, public and legislative affairs director for New Jersey Right To Life, countered that a double-murder charge against Scott Peterson is appropriate. She assailed pro-choice activists for opposing fetal homicide statutes.

"Obviously he was wanted by the mother," Tasy said.

"Clearly groups like NOW are doing a great injustice to women by opposing these laws. It just shows you how extreme, and to what lengths, these groups will go to protect the right to abortion."

[AnimalLover]

ANYBODY READY FOR A FIGHT? I wonder if A.N.S.W.E.R is behind NOW?

Today is Easter Sunday and have to read stuff like this! I am a woman, but these women are driving my crazy!

[Rodney King]

"If this is murder, well, then any time a late-term fetus is aborted, they could call it murder,"

Yes, exactly.

[anniegetyourgun]

This case DEFINTELY points to the personhood of the unborn child. After all, how it is 'her body' when the fetus washes up on shore many feet from the body of the mother?

There is more than irony in this case vis-a-vis the abortion-loving crowd and blood industry they support. There is crushing hypocrisy exposed.

[microgood]

It's disgusting they would inject their invective into such a tragic double murder. I am sure the Peterson family is not amused and should not have to worry about @#%*& like this.

[Steel Wolf]

A viable human life was terminated unlawfully. This is not really in dispute here; the recovered body was identified as an infant male before they even found the mothers body. This was not a rough grouping of cells developing into a fetus, this was a human child that was a few weeks from natural childbirth.

Scott Peterson wasn't conducting a late term abortion in the comfort and privacy of his own home. This is clearly a double murder.

[Congressman Billybob]

The quarrel that the fools at NOW have is not with the prosecutors in California, it is with the legislators and people of California. The "fetal murder" statutes in almost half of the states have been established to deal with criminals who attack pregnant women with the intent to kill their babies.

I belileve, as a result of the Peterson case, many other states will pass these laws. And the passage of these laws is one more proof that NOW does not speak for the women in the US, nor for the people generally. If NOW had any brains, they would sit down and shut up on this subject. But if they had any brains, they would do a lot of things differently.

Congressman Billybob

Latest column, not yet up on UPI, and FR, "Who's Next?"

Latest book(let), "to Restore Trust in America."

[ET(end tyranny)]

Already been posted!

[friendly]

I will bet my bottom dollar that the narcissistic, selfish, stone cold Scott argued for months with Laci, demanding an abortion.

[Frank_2001]

IMO you're right.

[friendly]

AND I will bet Scott is a democrat. After all he is just a misguided amateur abortionist.

[Paul Atreides]

The other night, on Greta Van Susteren's show, a guest was saying that SP had not shown any interest in the child at all, and that, it was her theory, that SP viewed Laci and the baby as encroaching on his swinging lifestyle.

[PianoMan]

NOW continues to shoot itself in the foot at every opportunity at least since Paula Jones.

[11th Earl of Mar]

"If this is murder, well, then any time a late-term fetus is aborted, they could call it murder,"

Uh... we do. Where has she been?

[TxBec]

Exactly, but *ANY* abortion is murder.

[lilylangtree]

"fetal homicide" statutes

This is one area I had problems in understanding on moral gounds. Abortion is killing the fetus, and is legal because of Roe v. Wade. However, if a pregnant woman is killed during a robbery gone awry or hit-and-run or outright murder, the woman dies and so does the fetus. The guilty party then is charged with 2 counts of murder. I don't see a difference in abortion murdering and the fetus dying when the mother is murdered.

[codercpc]

As I wrote on another post, this is the big chance to expose NOW, NAARL, and Planned Parenthood. The majority of Americans (pro-life, and pro-choice) are going to view this case as a double homicide. For NOW to promote any other view shows their extremism.

If this gets the amount of press that I hope it does, can you imagine anyone aligning themselves with the candidates that these groups will promote in 2004? Most importantly, if this becomes a national issue (how can one death at 8 months gestation be murder, but another be abortion?) I think this makes the Dems opposition to our Judicial Nominees impotent. Are they going to want NOW or NAARL going on TV in their "issue ads" complaining about Miguel Estradas views on abortion when their own views are so repugnant?

I truly hope that this quote from NOW does not vanish into the woodwork, but is blasted each and every time the Peterson case is on TV.

I also hope that the defense of Scott Peterson, if convicted, uses this as a argument against the death penalty in California. Then we will have the national debate that we need.

[Rodney King]

This is one area I had problems in understanding on moral gounds. Abortion is killing the fetus, and is legal because of Roe v. Wade. However, if a pregnant woman is killed during a robbery gone awry or hit-and-run or outright murder, the woman dies and so does the fetus. The guilty party then is charged with 2 counts of murder. I don't see a difference in abortion murdering and the fetus dying when the mother is murdered.

I'll explain it to you. Both are murder. However, since such a large percentage of the population is comprised of soccer moms who vote purely on thier emotional self interest, we wind up with results such as this. Soccer moms want to be able to abort their babies if they don't feel like having them. Therefore, it is legal. At the same time, Soccer moms don't want their babies to be killed if in fact they do want them, therefore, it is illegal for someone else to kill them.

Notice that the key variable here is the needs of the soccer mom, rather than the life of the baby.

And that's the way it is.

[LurkerNoMore!]

A bump to you.

Isn't it interesting that so many media reports are actually refering to the bodies as Laci and Conner?

[Gamecock]

Go ahead N.O.W.! Fight hard, generate a tons of press coverage.

Let an outraged public see what kind of monsters you really are...