Watson Coleman: “my amendment, the protection of the innocent child, will prohibit any level of government--Federal, military, and State…”

“my amendment, the protection of the innocent child, will prohibit any level of government--Federal, military, and State governments--from carrying out a death sentence on a pregnant woman. In existing law, the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 already prohibits Federal executions of a woman while pregnant. However, this law does not apply to the military or States. In fact, most executions are carried out by States. Additionally, the existing law does not recognize the principle of the unborn child is innocent and, therefore, must be shielded from wrongful execution. My amendment does not reflect any point of view on the desirability or appropriateness of capital punishment. This amendment is grounded in the undeniable fact that a human being is being carried by the pregnant woman and cannot possibly be guilty of a crime and, therefore, should not be subject to the death penalty itself. Women do become pregnant in prison, even at maximum security facilities, from sad and unfortunate situations involving rape or having relations with a guard. Congress should prevent the government at any level from taking the life of an innocent human being by prohibiting within all U.S. jurisdictions any death sentence from being carried out when a woman convicted of a capital crime is pregnant.”