Should Scott Peterson be charged with 1 or 2 murders? - Page 2

[fluffernutter]

Definately two murders. He (whomever he is) murdered TWO people. One of them happened to be inside his mother's womb. That doesn't make him less of a person.

I also don't think the murderer should get the death penalty. I think he should live a long life filled with torture, pain, agony, and misery.

[queencarr]

In TX, after a certain point in pg, not sure the exact cut off, a (fetal) death certificate is issued and burial/cremation required for a stillbirth. I know that when my daughter was born at almost 29 weeks, these were required. I would think whatever legalities that applied to stillbirths also applied to Conner, even though the circumstances were different. On my daughter's death certificate, cause of death is listed, as well as the question did death take place before or during labor, or delivery.

However, I was not allowed to count her as a dependant on our taxes, as she had not drawn or attempted to draw a breath and was thus not issued a birth certificate.

The point of all this was to say that legally, late pregnancy is a "fuzzy" area that doesn't seem to have any clearly defined solutions, especially as earlier and earlier preemies are being saved and even more lines are crossed. I do beleive that he should be charged with a double murder legally and morally.

Carrie

[barbara]

2 human beings died, someone had better be charged with 2 murders in my opinion!

[juicylucy]

Originally posted by marcy74
T I'm shocked by how many of you are wanting the death penalty for this. I'm only writing this here because the other thread in TAO seems to want to leave "Activism" out of the thread there.

As it's been said many times, killing a person to show that killing people is wrong doesn't make any sense at all, IMO!
Respectfully,
Marcy

[juicylucy]

whoops, meant to say, Marcy ITA.

[Ilaria]

I am pro-choice and I believe he should be tried for 2.
I also think the death penalty is wrong and do not support it, ever.

[CherP]

I definitely agree he should be tried to 2 murders. I also agree that life begins at the moment of conception.
Laci wanted this baby, was excited and planned for it. I still remember how that felt, being pregnant was a dream come true. The horror she must have felt if she knew what was happening to her and her baby!
Who ever did this (innocent until proven guilty) shouldn't get off by being put to death. He should live every day knowing what he did to his wife and son - that's HELL in itself!

[Pynki]

Originally posted by CherP
He should live every day knowing what he did to his wife and son - that's HELL in itself!

He already knows this.. If it isn't tearing him up that he did it now, why would it tear him up after the fact... All he going to be miserable about is getting caught...

Just my .02 on the subject though...

Back to the OP.. I think it should be charged as a 2ble homicide.. Pro-choice as people are stating isn't about being for abortion, it's simply for the right of a woman to choose whether or not to carry a child.. This woman chose to carry this child.. If a dr had performed an abortion on this woman he would be tried and convicted of committing a crime... Whomever killed Laci knew they would be killing her child as well.. 2 murders done knowingly.. 2 charges...

Like i said though.. Just my opinion on it..

Warm Squishy Feelings...

Dyan

[mama2mygirls]

i say for 2 murders
he makes me sick!

[applejuice]

California Criminal Law has dealt with situations like this as if the unborn were born long before Roe -v- Wade.

There are other things in the case that indicate that Peterson is guilty such as wire tappings, rope marks/reside in the house, a "lojak" on his car which tracked his meanderings, the position of the tide the night she disappeared.

He premeditated this.

[Evergreen]

I agree whoever did it should be tried for two murders. It is soo sad I have cried about it at night. She looked so radiantly happy to be pregnant, and something horrible happened to her as well as the little baby. WHy would someone do this, esp. a father??

[journeymom]

Absolutely, whoever did this must be charged with 2 murders.

He already knows this.. If it isn't tearing him up that he did it now, why would it tear him up after the fact... All he going to be miserable about is getting caught...

I'm of two minds about this. I think usually this is correct. Murderers like this are monsters and there's a reason we just can't imagine why they do the things they do. They don't think the way we do.

But then there's Andrea Yeats, who clearly was mentally ill. She's a dreadfull person who chased her oldest child around the house in order to drown him(her?). We discussed this here at mdc and someone pointed out that there's going to come a time when she might be of a clear mind, in prison maybe, when she's required to take proper medications. In her sane mind she'll have to live with the knowledge that her sick self murdered all of her children. I personally can imagine no greater hell.

[phathui5]

Two. Whoever killed her killed two people. Not to mention that Laci wanted very much to have her baby, she had named him, etc.

[madison]

One murder, unfortunately.

Connor was not born yet. He had no legal rights as an independent, individual person because he was a fetus not a legal person. The legal definition of personhood as I understand it is that a person must be born.

So while I grieve for Connor's short life (and yes, I do believe fetuses are alive in utero, it's medically absurd to believe otherwise because they can obviously die), I don't think Scott should be charged with his murder.

And I hope he rots in hell if it's proven he killed Laci and by extension, his own son.

[JessicaS]

By California law someone can be tried for the murder of an unborn child if the mother is at least 7 weeks along.

[GoodWillHunter]

Re: Should Scott Peterson be charged with 1 or 2 murders?

Originally posted by Jojo
I have been watching the news and have heard a few debates on this. The main argument given is that he should not be charged with the murder of a "viable fetus" since it was not born. I have been reading throught the thread regarding abortion and have been thinking a lot on my views about this in general. My first thought when seeing the Scott Peterson debate on the news was that sure he should be charged with both murders. Then my hubby said, then you have to be pro-life too (in terms of the fetus being a person with rights and so on). Anyway, we had a big discussion about whether or not he should be charged with both.

You don't neccessarily have to be pro life. Most people are not all one way or the other. Laci truly wanted the baby and thought her husband did, too. Thus, I believe, Mr. Peterson should be charged with two murders.

[madison]

Really, Abimommy? I didn't know that!

In that case, I'm all for two!

[GoodWillHunter]

Good point!!!

Originally posted by marcy74
n my opinion, it's a much worse fate to spend the rest of your long life in prison, getting raped by the inmates and struggling for survival - Marcy

I wholeheartedly agree. If it is Mr. Peterson who killed these two people, he is such a pretty boy he shouldn't have much time to be alone IYKWIM. Also, if at some point he finds his "soul", he may well be left to fester with remorse. Kind of like Susan whatsername who killed her kids to be with a man. I'm soooo glad she's sitting in prison. Gives her a long time to think about what she did.

[rainsmom]

All last week on Larry King theyve had various lawyers on discussing the case. Then Scotts father called in, pissed that they were essentially saying he is guilty, when scotts family believe in his innocence.

Im sure the prosecuter has ALOT of incriminating evidence against scott, or they wouldnt have arrested him.

I think he should be tried for 2 murders, as the baby could have lived if born the day Laci died.

From what the lawyers have been saying............some of the evidence sounds like it was premeditated.

[Tracy]

I kind of am dusting off this thread because I heard something on NPR today which was interesting and I didn't think it was exactly covered here on this thread.

In Roe Versus Wade.... basically the law is that the woman and her doctor have control over the fetus. THROUGH the 2nd trimester.
After the 2nd trimester, the fetus is protected by authorities greater than woman& doctor. the fetus then is protected by state/fed.

So, with that in mind.... since the death of connor occured in the third trimester his death really does not jeopardize roe v. wade. And I think Scott should be tried for his murder too.

now on a similiar note and one that may have already been covered here in Activism..... but last month Gov. Jeb Bush appointed a guardian to protect the life of an unborn baby. This baby is inside an institutionalized woman who is 22 and severely developmentally disabled and autistic. She lives with cerebral palsy and seizure disorder. She cannot speak. She can't stand or take a step without assistance. She weighs only 88 pounds.


"In April, say officials of the Department of Children and Families, they discovered she was approximately five months pregnant. She is unable to consent to sexual intercourse. Her pregnancy is a result of rape. Doctors stress that her disabilities are multiple and severe, making this a high-risk pregnancy that endangers her life. "


http://www.workers.org/ww/2003/prochoice0529.php


What is most sad and telling....is the gov. did not appoint a guardian for this woman. First and foremost thought, protect the fetus. Not the mom.

I guess it is an agenda.