Man arrested in shooting death of fetus

[MountainLaurel]

A 17-year-old Marrero woman was in critical condition Sunday and her unborn baby was dead after she was accidentally shot by a friend, who was booked in the death of the fetus, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office said.

The friend, Wilbert L. Luke Jr., 19, 1013 Manhattan Blvd., Harvey, took Shawntell Walker, 17, to West Jefferson Medical Center early Sunday, sheriff's spokesman Col. John Fortunato said.

Fortunato said Walker, about 22 weeks pregnant, had been shot in the abdomen. The fetus died during surgery, he said.

The sheriff's office said Luke first reported he found Walker shot on Cohen Street near Acre Road in Marrero, but after being questioned by Detective Gary Barteet, admitted he shot Walker by accident while showing her a handgun.

http://www.nola.com/news/index.ssf/2008/05/man_arrested_in_shooting_death.html

I find this especially interesting in that it was an accident, and very rarely is anyone charged in the case of an accidental shooting. But in this case the authorities chose to go that route.

[Samurai_Writer]

1. 22 weeks?

That's not even viable, 99% of the time. It's ridiculous to be charged, just on the gestational age of the fetus alone.

[MountainLaurel]

2. I don't think logic is playing a role in this decision

Although does it ever in these sorts of cases?

[bliss_eternal]

3. I agree...

...ridiculous. The guy needs a better attorney--to get this thrown out of court. A fetus isn't a "person" just because they say it is, or give it rights over and above the woman carrying it. This is blatantly bs, in my opinion.

This seems a rather obvious attempt to pander to the fundies and the histrionic anti-choicers--desperate to get a foot hold on whatever new administration replaces shrub and company.

[ismnotwasm]

4. Oh for god's sakes

This is another exemplifier of not only attempts to trash women,and women's reproductive rights (same thing in my mind) but ignore as usual, any maternal moral authority. (A new phrase for me)

If we lived in MY perfect world, (I'm not promoting this in our current political climate--it's a complete fantasy, based on an excellent philosophical essay I've read recently and ESPECIALLY not in this case) Women have the absolute and moral right over the life and death of their fetus. Birth is, indeed a gift. In my perfect world, a woman who had planned a child, was aware of and had chosen to carry this fetus to term, would be within her rights as a potential mother, by maternal moral authority to bring charges forth. She, as potential mother, not a father, not law, not the state. The laws protecting her choice would be in place.

On the other hand,as long as bullshit like this goes on, all in the name of some sort of nebulous definition of "life" women will not be allowed control of their own bodies, won't be able to claim physical autonomy much less moral authority.

The only one who can claim what a fetal status is, as a matter of perception, is the one the fetus lives off of. The state needs some sort of definition I suppose, but since we're evidently guided by emotionalist zealots who couldn't give a shit less about what "life" really means, but are, oh, so eager to shove their own limited and distorted definitions into even more limited and distorted law, we end up with ugly situations like this, that not only cause harm, but have the potential to violate human rights.

The essay by the way is
Abortion, Killing and Maternal Moral Authority
by Soran Reader in the January/March issue of Hypatia

[WildClarySage]

5. Why isn't it enough that he assaulted (however accidentally)

a woman? If he'd shot a man he would have been charged. Why are crimes against women only ever remarkable if she happens to be pregnant???

Oh yeah, cause in those fundy minds, a fetus is sacred and a woman is disposable.

[ismnotwasm]

7. If it was "just" a woman

It would barely make the news. Disgusting.

[uppityperson]

6. "third-degree feticide" AND it was an accident?

While the guy sounds like he's been in trouble with law before, this is stupid. Get him for the firearm offense.

"Barteet booked Luke with third-degree feticide and possession of a stolen firearm.

The sheriff's office said Luke had prior arrests for theft, resisting an officer, possession of marijuana, simple criminal damage, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, simple battery, aggravated assault and possession of stolen property, but did not say if he was convicted."