How can Scott Peterson be guilty of murdering his unborn son?

[Imran Siddiqui]

Imran:
What about Doe v. Bolton? It establishes the woman's right to have an abortion for health reasons, including preservation of emotional health. This allows any woman to have a third trimester abortion along these lines.

I haven't posted in this thread . Perhaps you are confusing me with ZKribbler... my left-wing counterpart .

You are correct though. While Roe and Planned Parenthood v. Casey both say the state has an interest in post-viability life (even to the point of FORBIDDING abortions after viability), Doe and Stenberg v. Carhart say you MUST allow abortions at any time if the woman's life or health is in danger.

[Agathon]

Originally posted by MichaeltheGreat

First, the prosecution as murder is fully consistent with Roe v. Wade, as this was a late third trimester fetus, and thus within the states' reach to assert a protective interest. Roe doesn't specify that states must assert any particular interest, just that they have the right to do so as they choose once the fetus is past the state of viability.

My own opinion is that Roe v. Wade is one of the worst pieces of legal reasoning in existence. I'm not saying that because I am pro-life (I'm not) or because I'm pro-choice (I'm not); but because it seems to me a shaky case.

[Lancer]

Certainly Mike, I didn't mean as a direct legal result. Instead, that this situation changed America somehow...the trajedy of the death of that unborn child made people realize the value of those lives kinda thing. Sure, very unlikely.

[St Leo]

You were once an infant. What about you has changed since then to make you a person?

We are not talking about infants. We are talking about tumours that haven't yet been born.

There is no physical difference between a fertilised egg and a body cell.

[C0ckney]

We are not talking about infants. We are talking about tumours that haven't yet been born.

it's a damn shame your mother didn't believe in abortion...

[CyberGnu]

it's a damn shame your mother didn't believe in abortion...

Logical fallacy.

[St Leo]

it's a damn shame your mother didn't believe in abortion...

Why would I care? I didn't exist at the time of the potential abortion.

[Gibsie]

It's a shame our parents didn't use contraception successfully either!

[St Leo]

It's a shame our parents didn't use contraception successfully either!

Don't hate me because I am beautiful.

[Chemical Ollie]

I haven't bothered to read through all the flames I suspect people have written here, but I could just imagine.

I don't know who the guy in question is and exactly what he did, but reading between the lines he is not a person I would call my friend...

I guess an abortion is not legally murder because:
1) the mother wanted it to happen
2) It's normally done at an early stage of the pregnancy

But what this guy did was murder because:
1) the mother did not want it to happen
2) it was done at a late stage of the pregnancy

But then, off course, being a neo-liberal/conservative voter, even legal abortions are immoral in my opinion.

[St Leo]

Being conservative is immoral in my opinion, but I don't want it outlawed.

[JCG]

So it's not murder if the mother alone wanted it to happen, for example?

[Chemical Ollie]

Originally posted by St Leo
Being conservative is immoral in my opinion, but I don't want it outlawed.

Real conservatives want slow, well-defined and well-considered society changes. Wars of aggression are radical and anarchistic. I think you and I have more in common than you think, while the American warmongers have forgotten their true ideology.

[Zero]

Did you see a caption in the news that told you so? if so I know the answer....

If you actually know he is being charged for killing an unborn child then I have no idea.. Im no expert.

[Chemical Ollie]

Originally posted by JCG
So it's not murder if the mother alone wanted it to happen, for example?

That depends on:
1) Did he kill her too? Is "suicide-help" legal in the country where it happened?
2) How far due was the baby? If beyond the legal abortion date, it was murder.