Woman pleads not guilty to fetus kidnapping

[Rivet]

Disguisting beyond belief.

(CNN) -- The Kansas woman accused of strangling a pregnant acquaintance and cutting the 8-month-old fetus from her womb pleaded not guilty Thursday, and is to stand trial the week of March 14, federal prosecutors said.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/LAW/01/20/stolen.fetus/index.html

[Strel]

Presumably there will be an insanity defense.

What people do not often understand is that insanity per se is not a defense - she has to prove that she was not able to comprehend what she was doing or that she was in a state where she could not distinguish right from wrong (this standard differs somewhat depending on the state).

Hopefully if they do find her guilty (she's presumed innocent, remember) they will give her the maximum penalty...IMHO it is cases like this that the death penalty was made for.

[Seth928]

Hopefully if they do find her guilty (she's presumed innocent, remember) they will give her the maximum penalty...IMHO it is cases like this that the death penalty was made for.

Death penalty? These cases are why i wish the Cruel and Unusual punishment clause was selective.

[green lantern]

Presumably there will be an insanity defense.

What people do not often understand is that insanity per se is not a defense - she has to prove that she was not able to comprehend what she was doing or that she was in a state where she could not distinguish right from wrong (this standard differs somewhat depending on the state).

Hopefully if they do find her guilty (she's presumed innocent, remember) they will give her the maximum penalty...IMHO it is cases like this that the death penalty was made for.no doubt the insanity defense will be used. i agree, the death penalty was made for cases like this.

[spork]

What good is the death penalty? Sure you get to kill her - does that solve anything, really? She's crazy. Crazy people aren't rational. The death penalty is no deterrant to crazy people - they're crazy!

[green lantern]

What good is the death penalty? Sure you get to kill her - does that solve anything, really? She's crazy. Crazy people aren't rational. The death penalty is no deterrant to crazy people - they're crazy!what if she isnt crazy?? then its just cold blooded murder on her part.

[spork]

I'm against the death penalty, green lantern, as a matter of principle. State sponsored execution is wrong, imo.

However, even if it was calculated and she was as sane as you are - the deterrant angle doesn't wash.