Senate Protects Unborn Children

Special Report - April 15, 2011
This week, the North Carolina Senate gave final approval to a bill that would finally ensure that criminals who injure or kill an unborn child as part of committing a crime against a pregnant woman are properly penalized for injuring or killing both victims. HB 215—Unborn Victims of Violence Act/Ethen’s Law passed the Senate 45–4, and will now go back to the House for final approval before being sent to the Governor.

HB 215 is named for the eight-and-a-half month old son of Jenna Nielson, both of whom were murdered in Raleigh in July 2007. The bill is modeled after federal law, the Unborn Victims of Violence Act, which applies on federal land in North Carolina, including military bases and the Blue Ridge Parkway, meaning that persons who murder pregnant women on those lands may be charged with two separate crimes against two victims—mother and child. North Carolina is one of only 15 states without a UVVA in place.

“North Carolina is behind the times in protecting women and their unborn children against violent crimes,” said Bill Brooks, president of the North Carolina Family Policy Council. “We protect unborn deer in our state law, but not unborn children. If a woman and her child are murdered 10 feet off a military base in North Carolina, they are only entitled to half the justice they would receive if they were murdered on the base. The inconsistency in our state law must be rectified and we commend the General Assembly for acting swiftly to amend our laws to truly provide equal justice to women and their unborn babies across North Carolina.”

Related resources:
House Passes Unborn Victims Act - March 25, 2011
Unborn Victims Bill Goes to House - March 24, 2011
Unborn Victims Bill Gets First Hearing - March 17, 2011
Unborn Victims Bill Introduced - March 4, 2011
Parents Call for Fetal Murder Law - May 8, 2009
Another Pregnant Soldier Dies in North Carolina - June 25, 2008
Maryland Fetal Homicide Act Brings First Conviction - April 3, 2008
Murder Shows Need for Fetal Homicide Law - January 28, 2008
Fetal Murder Laws Questioned Following Mother's Death - June 26, 2007
How to Achieve Justice for All in North Carolina - FNC - Winter 2011
Protecting the Unborn - FNC - Mar/Apr 2008

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