“The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court has ruled that an unborn baby killed as a result of the homicide of a pregnant woman is entitled to personhood rights. Last Tuesday’s ruling comes amid increasing debate over the rights of the unborn in the wake of the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that ruled there is no constitutional right to abortion. Peter Ronchi, who was convicted of two first-degree murder charges for killing his nine-month-pregnant girlfriend, Yuliya Galperina, and her full-term unborn baby in May 2009, asked the court to overturn the convictions. Ronchi’s defense team argued the baby wasn’t injured during the stabbing and that the unborn child’s death should not subject him to a first-degree murder conviction. However, the court ruled that Ronchi’s argument was weak. Although none of the 15 stab wounds were inflicted on the baby, Ronchi’s violent act towards a pregnant woman in her ninth month resulted in the cessation of the mother’s life-sustaining blood flow, ultimately leading to the death of the viable fetus, the ruling stressed.”
“Personhood rights,” The Christian Post, Feb. 20, 2023
