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April 8, 2014

Murder Charge Dismissed for Black Woman Who Gave Birth to Stillborn 
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A Mississippi judge has dismissed a murder charge against a young
African-American woman who faced life in prison after giving birth to a
stillborn baby. Rennie Gibbs was 16 years old when she was indicted for
"depraved heart murder," accused of willfully causing her baby's death
by smoking crack cocaine. A medical examiner had ruled the death a
homicide after finding traces of a cocaine byproduct in the baby's
system. But experts later concluded the death was likely caused by an
umbilical cord wrapped around the baby's neck. Despite those reports, a
Mississippi prosecutor has suggested the state will now move to
re-indict Gibbs for manslaughter. In a statement, Lynn Paltrow, head of
National Advocates for Pregnant Women and a co-counsel on the case,
said, "The biggest threats to life –- born and unborn –- do not come
from mothers, but rather from poverty, barriers to healthcare,
persistent racism, environmental hazards, and prosecutions like this
one."

 

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