DiscussWorldIssues - Socio-Economic Religion and Political Uncensored Debate - View Single Post - Texas man gets death penalty for killing fetus

**annouhMus** · 09-02-2007, 08:07 PM

I'll ask the obvious question. If this guy can get the death penalty for killing a fetus (and its mother), under this new 2003 Texas law defining a fetus as a person, what penalty do abortion doctors get for deliberately killing THOSE fetuses?

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http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories...02-07-19-35-27

Texas Man Gets Death for Killing Fetus

By ELIZABETH WHITE
Associated Press Writer
Feb 7, 7:35 PM EST

SAN ANTONIO (AP) -- A former youth pastor was sentenced to death Wednesday for killing a teenager and her fetus in what is believed to be the first such order in Texas, the nation's busiest death penalty state.

Adrian Estrada, 23, was convicted Friday of one count of capital murder for the death of Stephanie Sanchez and the fetus, of which he was the father.

"This is a significant case," said Bexar County prosecutor Susan Reed. "This is significant for the state."

A 2003 Texas law amended the definition of the word "individual" to include an "unborn child at every stage of gestation from fertilization until birth."

The death sentence is Texas' first in the death of a fetus, said Dave Atwood, founder of the Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, which monitors capital cases.

Sanchez, 17, was three months pregnant Dec. 12, 2005, when her body was found in her family's home. She had been choked and stabbed 13 times. During the trial, DNA evidence was presented to show Estrada was the father.

Estrada, a former youth pastor for a church, admitted to the stabbing the day after the killings. Prosecutors also said he worked out at a gym and went shopping after the crime. He showed no emotion when his punishment was read.

"The bad guy that you don't suspect is the one that you can't protect your loved one from," said Scott Simpson, Bexar County assistant prosecutor. "And that's what he was and that's what he is."

Estrada's attorney, Suzanne Kramer, had argued that her client made bad decisions.

"It that enough to execute him? Is that enough to kill him?" she asked the jury.

According to the Web site of the National Conference of State Legislatures, at least 36 states have homicide laws defining a fetus as a person.

Sorry, but there is nothing shown here that the sentence was because of the killing of the fetus.

it lists one conviction for murder, and obviously the young woman was murdered.

simply stating that a fetus was also killed DOES NOT show that he was convicted of it's murder.

This is, or at least almost is, a Strawman.

09-02-2007, 08:07 PM	#12
annouhMus Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 621 Senior Member	I'll ask the obvious question. If this guy can get the death penalty for killing a fetus (and its mother), under this new 2003 Texas law defining a fetus as a person, what penalty do abortion doctors get for deliberately killing THOSE fetuses? ---------------------------- http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories...02-07-19-35-27 Texas Man Gets Death for Killing Fetus By ELIZABETH WHITE Associated Press Writer Feb 7, 7:35 PM EST SAN ANTONIO (AP) -- A former youth pastor was sentenced to death Wednesday for killing a teenager and her fetus in what is believed to be the first such order in Texas, the nation's busiest death penalty state. Adrian Estrada, 23, was convicted Friday of one count of capital murder for the death of Stephanie Sanchez and the fetus, of which he was the father. "This is a significant case," said Bexar County prosecutor Susan Reed. "This is significant for the state." A 2003 Texas law amended the definition of the word "individual" to include an "unborn child at every stage of gestation from fertilization until birth." The death sentence is Texas' first in the death of a fetus, said Dave Atwood, founder of the Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, which monitors capital cases. Sanchez, 17, was three months pregnant Dec. 12, 2005, when her body was found in her family's home. She had been choked and stabbed 13 times. During the trial, DNA evidence was presented to show Estrada was the father. Estrada, a former youth pastor for a church, admitted to the stabbing the day after the killings. Prosecutors also said he worked out at a gym and went shopping after the crime. He showed no emotion when his punishment was read. "The bad guy that you don't suspect is the one that you can't protect your loved one from," said Scott Simpson, Bexar County assistant prosecutor. "And that's what he was and that's what he is." Estrada's attorney, Suzanne Kramer, had argued that her client made bad decisions. "It that enough to execute him? Is that enough to kill him?" she asked the jury. According to the Web site of the National Conference of State Legislatures, at least 36 states have homicide laws defining a fetus as a person. Sorry, but there is nothing shown here that the sentence was because of the killing of the fetus. it lists one conviction for murder, and obviously the young woman was murdered. simply stating that a fetus was also killed DOES NOT show that he was convicted of it's murder. This is, or at least almost is, a Strawman.
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