Source: The Root – Confluence Daily is your daily news source for women in the know.
Law enforcement officials formally charged a woman with killing her unborn child after she was shot during an altercation when she was five months pregnant, proving once again that the state is willing to criminalize women to protect children at any cost.
And if you’re wondering, of course, it happened in Alabama.
AL.com reports that authorities took 27-year-old Marshae Jones into custody on Wednesday after a Jefferson County grand jury indicted her for manslaughter. Jones was allegedly involved in a dispute with Ebony Jemison, 23, who investigators say shot Jones in December. Jemison was initially charged with the murder of the child but the grand jury declined to indict her, reasoning that Jones started the altercation that caused Jemison to shoot the pregnant woman in self-defense.
Authorities say the two women were involved in a dispute over the father of the child when Jemison fired the bullet into the belly of the expectant mother. Jones was taken to a local hospital, where she lost the child. The Jefferson County District Attorney’s office presented “the mother’s involvement and culpability” to the grand jury, claiming that Jones initiated the fatal fracas. Details of the grand jury proceedings are secret and reports do not indicate whether or not Jones was armed.
“The investigation showed that the only true victim in this was the unborn baby,” said Pleasant Grove, Ala., police officer Danny Reid after the incident. “It was the mother of the child who initiated and continued the fight which resulted in the death of her own unborn baby.”
Despite being ranked 45th in infant mortality by the CDC; 45th in childhood poverty by the Children’s Defense Fund; 46th in health care and 49th in K-12education by U.S. News, Alabama constantly proves it is for the children by instituting draconian laws governing its in-state vaginas. Aside from passing the recent legislation that would sentence doctors who performed abortions to 99 years in prison, voters amended the state constitution in November 2018 to grant unborn children the same rights as any other citizen.
“The state of Alabama has proven yet again that the moment a person becomes pregnant their sole responsibility is to produce a live, healthy baby and that it considers any action a pregnant person takes that might impede in that live birth to be a criminal act,” said Amanda Reyes, executive director of the Yellowhammer Fund, a member of the National Network of Abortion Funds, which helps women access abortion services.
“Today, Marshae Jones is being charged with manslaughter for being pregnant and getting shot while engaging in an altercation with a person who had a gun,” Reyes said in a statement. “Tomorrow, it will be another black woman, maybe for having a drink while pregnant. And after that, another, for not obtaining adequate prenatal care.”
But police say this is all Jones’ fault.
“When a 5-month pregnant woman initiates a fight and attacks another person, I believe some responsibility lies with her as to any injury to her unborn child,” said Lt. Reid. “That child is dependent on its mother to try to keep it from harm, and she shouldn’t seek out unnecessary physical altercations.”
Because Alabama loves the kids.
“Until it’s born,” Alabama said in a statement, clarifying its official position.
“Then, if it’s black…fuck it.”
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