Woman shoots self in stomach and kills full term fetus

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http://abcnews.go.com/US/LegalCenter/story?id=2585102&page=1


Murder or abortion?

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Prosecutors say that on the morning she was scheduled to give birth, Skinner drove to an auto dealer's parking lot, took a gun, and shot herself in the belly, killing the fetus in an act of self-abortion. Skinner was charged with carrying out an illegal abortion.

Is Skinner a criminal?

Today, a Virginia judge said no. The charges were dropped, her case dismissed.

Should he have ruled otherwise?

The law in question states that it is illegal to administer or cause an illegal abortion on an expectant mother.

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I'm pro-choice but waiting until the baby is at full term and putting a gun to her stomach isn't the same thing.

Flame away if you want, but I believe it's the responsibility of a woman to act on these things early on and not wait until the fetus is viable and near birth. At the point she was she should have had the kid and gave it up for adoption.

I will give her the benefit of the doubt that she was at her wits end and for that she has my sympathy. What a tragic story.