Bill Would Criminalize Abortions After Rape As 'Tampering With Evidence'

[Lakhota]

By Laura Bassett

A Republican lawmaker in New Mexico introduced a bill on Wednesday that would legally require victims of rape to carry their pregnancies to term in order to use the fetus as evidence for a sexual assault trial.

House Bill 206, introduced by state Rep. Cathrynn Brown (R), would charge a rape victim who ended her pregnancy with a third-degree felony for "tampering with evidence."

“Tampering with evidence shall include procuring or facilitating an abortion, or compelling or coercing another to obtain an abortion, of a fetus that is the result of criminal sexual penetration or incest with the intent to destroy evidence of the crime," the bill says.

Third-degree felonies in New Mexico carry a sentence of up to three years in prison.

Pat Davis of ProgressNow New Mexico, a progressive nonprofit opposing the bill, called it "blatantly unconstitutional" on Thursday.

“The bill turns victims of rape and incest into felons and forces them to become incubators of evidence for the state,” he said. “According to Republican philosophy, victims who are ‘legitimately raped’ will now have to carry the fetus to term in order to prove their case.“

More: New Mexico Bill Would Criminalize Abortions After Rape As 'Tampering With Evidence'

HOUSE BILL 206
51ST LEGISLATURE - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - FIRST SESSION, 2013
INTRODUCED BY
Cathrynn N. Brown

 

[Lakhota]

But when it came to mounting a defense in the Stodghill case, Catholic Health’s lawyers effectively turned the Church directives on their head. Catholic organizations have for decades fought to change federal and state laws that fail to protect “unborn persons,” and Catholic Health’s lawyers in this case had the chance to set precedent bolstering anti-abortion legal arguments. Instead, they are arguing state law protects doctors from liability concerning unborn fetuses on grounds that those fetuses are not persons with legal rights.

Catholic Hospital Argues Fetuses Are Not People In Malpractice Suit

 

[Mustang]

By Laura Bassett

A Republican lawmaker in New Mexico introduced a bill on Wednesday that would legally require victims of rape to carry their pregnancies to term in order to use the fetus as evidence for a sexual assault trial.

House Bill 206, introduced by state Rep. Cathrynn Brown (R), would charge a rape victim who ended her pregnancy with a third-degree felony for "tampering with evidence."

“Tampering with evidence shall include procuring or facilitating an abortion, or compelling or coercing another to obtain an abortion, of a fetus that is the result of criminal sexual penetration or incest with the intent to destroy evidence of the crime," the bill says.

Third-degree felonies in New Mexico carry a sentence of up to three years in prison.

Pat Davis of ProgressNow New Mexico, a progressive nonprofit opposing the bill, called it "blatantly unconstitutional" on Thursday.

“The bill turns victims of rape and incest into felons and forces them to become incubators of evidence for the state,” he said. “According to Republican philosophy, victims who are ‘legitimately raped’ will now have to carry the fetus to term in order to prove their case.“

More: New Mexico Bill Would Criminalize Abortions After Rape As 'Tampering With Evidence'

This could be (hands down, if true) THE craziest thing I've ever heard.

 

[Amelia]

I'll need to see more evidence before I believe the claim that the proposed New Mexico legislation would punish a rape victim for getting an abortion of her own volition.

This is supposed to criminalize the actions of abusers who would have their victim get an abortion so that no one would know what they did. And criminalize the actions of people who help the abuser hide the evidence.

 

[Dot Com]

After what was passed by the Repubs here in Virginia (the wand of shame law), it wouldn't surprise me.

 

[Lakhota]

HOUSE BILL 206
51ST LEGISLATURE - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - FIRST SESSION, 2013
INTRODUCED BY
Cathrynn N. Brown

 

[RetiredGySgt]

If it punishes the pregnant woman for voluntarily getting an abortion, under federal protection it will be found null and void.

 

[ZimothyTahn]

I'll need to see more evidence before I believe the claim that the proposed New Mexico legislation would punish a rape victim for getting an abortion of her own volition.

This is supposed to criminalize the actions of abusers who would have their victim get an abortion so that no one would know what they did. And criminalize the actions of people who help the abuser hide the evidence.

forcing a woman to stay pregnant after she was impregnated is punishing her. why do republicans keep trying to find ways to victimize the victim? it's so fucking repugnant.

 

[Amelia]

HOUSE BILL 206
51ST LEGISLATURE - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - FIRST SESSION, 2013
INTRODUCED BY
Cathrynn N. Brown

What part of "with the intent to destroy evidence of the crime" don't you understand?

 

[Amelia]

I'll need to see more evidence before I believe the claim that the proposed New Mexico legislation would punish a rape victim for getting an abortion of her own volition.

This is supposed to criminalize the actions of abusers who would have their victim get an abortion so that no one would know what they did. And criminalize the actions of people who help the abuser hide the evidence.

forcing a woman to stay pregnant after she was impregnated is punishing her. why do republicans keep trying to find ways to victimize the victim? it's so fucking repugnant.

Still waiting for someone to show that the woman would be forced to stay pregnant.

As well as I can tell, what is being criminalized here is someone else trying to make the woman have the abortion in order to hide evidence. NOT her choosing on her own to have an abortion.

 

[Lakhota]

B. Tampering with evidence shall include procuring or facilitating an abortion, or compelling or coercing another to obtain an abortion, of a fetus that is the result of criminal sexual penetration or incest with the intent to destroy evidence of the crime.

HOUSE BILL 206
51ST LEGISLATURE - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - FIRST SESSION, 2013
INTRODUCED BY
Cathrynn N. Brown

Seems pretty clear to me.

 

[Luddly Neddite]

I doubt that even one coo-coo R believes, for even one moment, that this could pass. They keep throwing this shit at the fan in hopes of finding something they can use against American women. When are they going to stop throwing away US tax payer's money and get to work helping small businesses create jobs?

 

[Amelia]

B. Tampering with evidence shall include procuring or facilitating an abortion, or compelling or coercing another to obtain an abortion, of a fetus that is the result of criminal sexual penetration or incest with the intent to destroy evidence of the crime.

HOUSE BILL 206
51ST LEGISLATURE - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - FIRST SESSION, 2013
INTRODUCED BY
Cathrynn N. Brown

Seems pretty clear to me.

Me too. "with the intent to destroy evidence of the crime". You still don't see that?

If a woman is having an abortion because it's the right thing for her health or wellbeing she is not doing it "with the intent to destroy evidence of the crime" so that law wouldn't apply to her.



Nevermind, I'm sure you see that clause in the bill. You just don't appear to want to acknowledge it. Ta.

 

[cereal_killer]

By Laura Bassett

A Republican lawmaker in New Mexico introduced a bill on Wednesday that would legally require victims of rape to carry their pregnancies to term in order to use the fetus as evidence for a sexual assault trial.

House Bill 206, introduced by state Rep. Cathrynn Brown (R), would charge a rape victim who ended her pregnancy with a third-degree felony for "tampering with evidence."

“Tampering with evidence shall include procuring or facilitating an abortion, or compelling or coercing another to obtain an abortion, of a fetus that is the result of criminal sexual penetration or incest with the intent to destroy evidence of the crime," the bill says.

Third-degree felonies in New Mexico carry a sentence of up to three years in prison.

Pat Davis of ProgressNow New Mexico, a progressive nonprofit opposing the bill, called it "blatantly unconstitutional" on Thursday.

“The bill turns victims of rape and incest into felons and forces them to become incubators of evidence for the state,” he said. “According to Republican philosophy, victims who are ‘legitimately raped’ will now have to carry the fetus to term in order to prove their case.“

More: New Mexico Bill Would Criminalize Abortions After Rape As 'Tampering With Evidence'

This could be (hands down, if true) THE craziest thing I've ever heard.

I agree, it's sheer lunacy. It would never pass though

 

[C_Clayton_Jones]

By Laura Bassett

A Republican lawmaker in New Mexico introduced a bill on Wednesday that would legally require victims of rape to carry their pregnancies to term in order to use the fetus as evidence for a sexual assault trial.

House Bill 206, introduced by state Rep. Cathrynn Brown (R), would charge a rape victim who ended her pregnancy with a third-degree felony for "tampering with evidence."

“Tampering with evidence shall include procuring or facilitating an abortion, or compelling or coercing another to obtain an abortion, of a fetus that is the result of criminal sexual penetration or incest with the intent to destroy evidence of the crime," the bill says.

Third-degree felonies in New Mexico carry a sentence of up to three years in prison.

Pat Davis of ProgressNow New Mexico, a progressive nonprofit opposing the bill, called it "blatantly unconstitutional" on Thursday.

“The bill turns victims of rape and incest into felons and forces them to become incubators of evidence for the state,” he said. “According to Republican philosophy, victims who are ‘legitimately raped’ will now have to carry the fetus to term in order to prove their case.“

More: New Mexico Bill Would Criminalize Abortions After Rape As 'Tampering With Evidence'

This could be (hands down, if true) THE craziest thing I've ever heard.

Simply maintaining the republican tradition of legitimate rape, and rape as god’s will.

As well as the republican tradition of losing elections.

 

[cereal_killer]

More: New Mexico Bill Would Criminalize Abortions After Rape As 'Tampering With Evidence'

This could be (hands down, if true) THE craziest thing I've ever heard.

Simply maintaining the republican tradition of legitimate rape, and rape as god’s will.

As well as the republican tradition of losing elections.

One idiot doesn't speak for the entire party. That comment wasn't direct at you in case there is any confusion. I think you get the gist of my comment

 

[jillian]

This could be (hands down, if true) THE craziest thing I've ever heard.

Simply maintaining the republican tradition of legitimate rape, and rape as god’s will.

As well as the republican tradition of losing elections.

One idiot doesn't speak for the entire party. That comment wasn't direct at you in case there is any confusion. I think you get the gist of my comment

no. one idiot does not. but when the party's presidential candidate refuses to withdraw his support for someone who talks about it being 'g-d's will for women to get pregnant from rape', then perhaps there's a larger problem.

when 22 anti-choice bills are proposed in one congress... there's a larger problem.

when a personhood law which the party's candidate for president says he supports would criminalize the woman having an abortion and grant inheritance rights to a fetus, there's a larger problem

when the first bill passed by the house of representatives when it is won by that party, is a bill absolving hospitals of liability for allowing a woman to die rather than give her a life-saving abortion (and luckily stopped by the senate controlled by the OTHER party)... there is a larger problem.

so no, one idiot does not speak for the party... but a gaggle of them do.

 

[Lakhota]

State Rep. Cathrynn Brown (R)

Sexual assault trials are infamously grueling for survivors, who are often subjected to character assassination and other attempts to discredit their accounts. State Rep. Cathrynn Brown’s (R) bill would add the forced choice between prison or an unwanted pregnancy to these proceedings.

More: New Mexico Bill Would Imprison Rape Victims Who Receive Abortions | ThinkProgress

 

[cereal_killer]

Simply maintaining the republican tradition of legitimate rape, and rape as god’s will.

As well as the republican tradition of losing elections.

One idiot doesn't speak for the entire party. That comment wasn't direct at you in case there is any confusion. I think you get the gist of my comment

no. one idiot does not. but when the party's presidential candidate refuses to withdraw his support for someone who talks about it being 'g-d's will for women to get pregnant from rape', then perhaps there's a larger problem.

when 22 anti-choice bills are proposed in one congress... there's a larger problem.

when a personhood law which the party's candidate for president says he supports would criminalize the woman having an abortion and grant inheritance rights to a fetus, there's a larger problem

when the first bill passed by the house of representatives when it is won by that party, is a bill absolving hospitals of liability for allowing a woman to die rather than give her a life-saving abortion (and luckily stopped by the senate controlled by the OTHER party)... there is a larger problem.

so no, one idiot does not speak for the party... but a gaggle of them do.

I am not going to argue this one. You are spot on and I agree entirely

 

[jillian]

One idiot doesn't speak for the entire party. That comment wasn't direct at you in case there is any confusion. I think you get the gist of my comment

no. one idiot does not. but when the party's presidential candidate refuses to withdraw his support for someone who talks about it being 'g-d's will for women to get pregnant from rape', then perhaps there's a larger problem.

when 22 anti-choice bills are proposed in one congress... there's a larger problem.

when a personhood law which the party's candidate for president says he supports would criminalize the woman having an abortion and grant inheritance rights to a fetus, there's a larger problem

when the first bill passed by the house of representatives when it is won by that party, is a bill absolving hospitals of liability for allowing a woman to die rather than give her a life-saving abortion (and luckily stopped by the senate controlled by the OTHER party)... there is a larger problem.

so no, one idiot does not speak for the party... but a gaggle of them do.

I am not going to argue this one. You are spot on and I agree entirely

damn... and here i was ready to keep going.

and i didn't even get to say that personhood laws would have forced me to carry a pregnancy that i didn't want, but i wouldn't have been allowed to have an in vitro to have the pregnancy i did want.