Swee Chung Ting, an alleged rape victim in New Mexico, is seeking to charge the state for use of her womb as an evidence locker.
It began with submission of legislation to make abortion illegal in New Mexico in cases where pregnancy results from rape or incest, on the grounds that such abortion would constitute “tampering with evidence”. The prosecutor in Ms. Ting’s case apparently felt that new legislation might not be required, and filed an injunction against Ms. Ting to prevent her from having an abortion, on the same grounds.
Ms. Ting says that she is willing to turn the evidence over to the state, but if the state requires her to keep it, she should be allowed to charge for the service.
In the meantime, the defense lawyer has demanded to see the evidence. “If the fetus constitutes evidence,” he said, “the defense has a right to view it. We therefore ask the state to compel Ms. Ting to make this evidence available to us. She has even refused to permit us to view where it is kept, notwithstanding the state contention that the defendant has already seen it.”
The court has deferred a ruling on these issues, but Ms. Ting is also seeking a rape indictment against the state for screwing her against her will. According to legal experts, the case may go all the way to the Supreme Court because of the implications for the defendant’s constitutional right of access to evidence, as well as standard definitions of rape, evidence, tampering, and other competing rights and definitions. In the meantime, the court has held that the evidence should remain sealed.
This is terrible. Not funny. Just terrible.
Quite an insensitive piece, but realistically, it does show the ridiculous side of the rape/pregnancy debate. Don’t know if we have to go to these extremes to get a point across. Too bad Jonathan Swift isn’t here to consult.
Your point is taken, Jane. I will try to write about frivolous matters only, like so many other satires that don’t offend anyone.
I’m sorry. Perhaps you didn’t know that a bill was actually submitted in New Mexico to make abortion in cases of rape or incest a prosecutable felony on the grounds of tampering with evidence. I would never make up something like that, only satirize it.
Yes, I assumed that. insensitive may have been a poor choice of words. You know us women…we do tend to get hysterical.
BTW, that was tongue-in-cheek as well Barb W.
Women have no monopoly on hysterics. The differences are exaggerated and most are culture-dependent.
Oh, you’re being serious. mea culpa. I thought we were joking around.
The only place I’m allowed to be serious is the comments section, and only occasionally there.
Wow really? Wish we were allowed to be serious. Man, you get all the breaks.
Let's face the facts, if you have womb you need to be very careful in which state in our "free" country you live. Some of the areas are a little less concerned with doing what's right as opposed to doing what gets their asses elected. So, do you want to have someone who does right, or do you want someone who is an ass?
I would love to see a real ass get elected instead of these cheap imitations. It would be such an improvement.