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One
Victim or Two?
The Unborn
Victims of Violence Act (S. 1019) would recognize as a legal victim an
unborn child who is injured or killed during commission of a federal
crime against the baby’s mother. A substitute amendment to be offered by
Senator Dianne Feinstein would increase penalties for federal crimes against
pregnant women – but would recognize only one victim, the mother, and
without recognizing any loss of human life if the mother survives the
assault. Sharon Rocha, mother of Laci Peterson and grandmother of Conner
Peterson, has called such a single-victim proposal “a step away from
justice, not toward it.” But what does the general public say? If a
criminal assaults a woman who carries an unborn child, does that crime have
two victims, or only one? Here are three recent national polls on that
issue.
| Polls |
One
Victim |
Two Victims |
|
“If a
violent physical attack on a pregnant woman leads to the death of her
unborn child, do you think prosecutors should be able to charge the
attacker with murder for killing the fetus?”
Yes
79%
(including 69% of “pro-choice”)
No
10%
Not sure 11%
Fox
News/Opinion Dynamics, July 15-16, 2003. (900
registered voters. Margin of error: +/- 3%.) |
10%
|
79%
(includes 69% of “pro-choice”) |
|
“We’re
interested in how you think the criminal justice system should deal with
cases involving the murder of a pregnant woman. When, if ever, do you
think prosecutors should be able to bring SEPARATE murder charges
against someone who kills a fetus still in the womb? In other words,
try them for two murders instead of one. Do you think this should be
done in ALL cases where a pregnant woman is murdered, only in cases
where the fetus is viable – that is, is able to survive outside the
womb, or not at all?”
All cases
56%
Fetus Viable 28%
Not at all 9%
DK 7%
Newsweek/Princeton Survey Research Associates, May 29-30, 2003.(1,009
adults, age 18+. Margin of error: +/- 3%.) |
9%
|
84%
(total “all cases” 56% and “fetus viable” 28%) |
|
“If Scott Peterson is convicted of killing his pregnant
wife Laci, do you think he should be charged with one count of homicide
for murdering his wife or two counts of homicide for murdering both his
wife and unborn son?”
One count 7%
Two counts 84%
Something else (vol.) 1%
Not sure
8%
Fox News/Opinion Dynamics, April 22-23, 2003.
(900 registered voters. Margin of error:
+/- 3%.) |
7%
|
84%
|
|
