In April, President Bush signed the Unborn Victims of Violence Act of 2004.

President George W. Bush:

...The Unborn Victims of Violence Act provides that, under federal law, any person who causes death or injury to a child in the womb shall be charged with a separate offense, in addition to any charges relating to the mother. As of today, the law of our nation will acknowledge the plain fact that crimes of violence against a pregnant woman often have two victims. And therefore, in those cases, there are two offenses to be punished. Under this law, those who direct violence toward a pregnant woman will answer for the full extent of the harm they have done, and for all the crimes they have committed....

This afternoon, Scott Peterson was found guilty of not only murdering his wife, but her unborn child as well.

He was convicted of one count of first-degree murder for killing his wife, Laci, and one count of second-degree murder in the death of the son she was carrying.

My question now is this... With the Unborn Victims of Violence Act of 2004 and now the 2nd degree murder of an unborn child on the books, how does this affect Roe vs. Wade and the rights of a mother to have an abortion? Are we now on thin ice? Or did the "Laci Law" and the guilty verdict carefully sidestep the issue with legalese?

As I discover more, I'll update this post...

Hat Tip to LaShawn Barber

Posted by Michael at November 12, 2004 05:05 PM