Indiana court to hear woman's appeal of feticide conviction

National News

Attorneys for an Indiana woman found guilty of killing the premature infant she delivered after ingesting abortion-inducing drugs will ask an appeals court Monday to throw out the convictions that led to her 20-year prison sentence.

At issue is Indiana's feticide statute, which the defense says was "passed to protect pregnant women from violence" that could harm their developing fetus, not to prosecute women for their own abortions. The state says that law "is not limited to third-party actors" and can apply to pregnant women.

Attorneys for 35-year-old Purvi Patel will urge the Indiana Court of Appeals to reverse her 2015 convictions on charges of feticide and neglect of a dependent resulting in death. The state's attorney general's office will defend the northern Indiana jury's decision.

Patel, of Granger, was arrested in July 2013 after she sought treatment at a local hospital for profuse bleeding after delivering a 1½-pound infant boy and putting his body in a trash bin behind her family's restaurant. Court records show Patel purchased abortion-inducing drugs online through a pharmacy in Hong Kong, took those drugs and delivered a premature baby in her home bathroom.

Related listings

  • Court: Slipknot bassist's child born after he died can sue

    Court: Slipknot bassist's child born after he died can sue

    National News 05/08/2016

    Idaho's state Supreme Court candidates went after each other's political independence Friday evening during their only scheduled major debate. "When you stand on the courthouse steps with the Legislature, I'm not sure if you're sending the right mess...

  • Iran's president slams US court ruling on frozen assets

    Iran's president slams US court ruling on frozen assets

    National News 05/03/2016

    Iran's president said Wednesday that a U.S. court ruling that allows for the seizure of Iranian assets amounts to theft and indicates continued "hostility" toward his country. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled last week that the families of victims of a 1...

  • Court document: Newtown teacher carried loaded gun in school

    Court document: Newtown teacher carried loaded gun in school

    National News 04/21/2016

    Court documents show a Newtown middle school teacher who was arrested on a weapon possession charge was carrying a loaded .45-caliber pistol in a holster inside the school.   A Danbury Superior Court judge on Wednesday entered an initial not-gui...

CHICAGO BUSINESS & CORPORATE LITIGATION LAWYERS

When faced with a legal challenge, your attorneys should help you identify your goals at the beginning of the process. Thereafter, every action that follows must be undertaken with the aim of meeting those goals. Wasted effort equals wasted time and money, that’s something you cannot afford and your attorneys must respect this concept. At Roth Law Group, we counsel our clients to confront their legal challenges aggressively, but with purpose.

As a former Marine Corps Pilot, I learned that you must assess the situation, determine your mission, construct a plan to achieve the mission and execute that plan. As an attorney and small business owner, I apply the same concepts in taking on my client’s legal challenges. And while it is generally preferable to resolve cases early in the process whenever possible, if you have no choice but to fight, you need someone who is willing to aggressively advocate for you. Here at Roth Law Group, we never back down from a challenge and we fight to win. Let our experienced attorneys put you in control of your legal challenges so you can get back to running your business.

Business News

Clayton, MO Federal Criminal Defense Attorney The Law Offices of John M. Lynch, LLC, provides strong representation for clients with federal criminal defense. >> read