Wednesday, October 18, 2006

Man convicted of killing woman, fetus, after woman refuses abortion

Man Convicted of Killing Woman Who Refused Abortion and Her Baby
A Pennsylvania man who was charged with killing a pregnant woman and her unborn child has been convicted. Stephen Poaches killed his pregnant girlfriend, LaToyia Figueroa, because she refused to succumb to his demands and those of another girl he was dating to have an abortion.
In a nonjury trial, Judge Teresa Sarmina found Poaches guilty of two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of 24-year-old Figueroa and her unborn child. Poaches was given a sentence of life prison without the possibility of parole.

Now, first of all I want to make it very clear that I don't think this man's behavior is representative of "prochoice" men. He is a psycho bastard.

I'd like to do a study of men who kill women for refusing to abort, and find out what impact public rhetoric had on their perception of how reasonable or unreasonable the woman was for refusing an abortion. I just get the feeling that growing up hearing how abortion is a "right," and how women both want and need "more access", may give some guys the feeling that the only possible motive for refusing an abortion is sheer contrariness.

Please, I am not saying that prochoice rhetoric is inciting violence against pregnant women! I don't care how unreasonable the guy thinks she's being, that's still no excuse for killing her. That responsibility falls squarely on his head. I just wonder how the rhetoric colors such men's perceptions of the woman's motives in refusing abortion.


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