What is Laci and Conner's Law? How a 2002 crime shaped new era of justice for the unborn
Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers’ discretion is advised.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Peacock's upcoming docuseries, 'Face to Face With Scott Peterson', explores alternative theories and information surrounding the Laci Peterson murder case that shook the nation in the early 2000s. The case continues to be a complex mystery, with opinions divided on Scott Peterson's conviction. It also led to the enactment of the Unborn Victims of Violence Act, commonly known as Laci and Conner's Law.
The brutal murder of Laci Peterson and her unborn son, Connor, led then-President George W Bush to sign into law the Unborn Victims of Violence Act on April 1, 2004. Under this law, "any person who causes death or injury to a child in the womb shall be charged with a separate offense, in addition to any charges relating to the mother."
What happened to Laci and Conner Peterson?
On Christmas Eve 2002, Scott Peterson reported that his eight-month-pregnant wife, Laci Peterson, had disappeared. In January 2023, a woman named Amber Frey came forward to reveal that she had briefly dated Peterson, who had misled her about his marital status. She helped the police and obtained a call recording of Peterson in which he lied to her about his whereabouts. As suspicion grew, the police executed search warrants on his property but nothing was found that could incriminate him in the murder case.
The case took a dramatic turn when Laci’s body was found washed ashore in a severely decomposed state, just a few miles from where Peterson had been fishing on the day of her disappearance, according to NBC Bay Area. Scott Peterson was arrested on April 18, 2003. The jury later convicted him of first-degree murder for the death of his wife, Laci Peterson, and second-degree murder for the death of their unborn son, Connor.
President George W Bush signed the Unborn Victims of Violence Act of 2004
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As George W Bush signed the Unborn Victims of Violence Act, he emphasized, "Until today, the federal criminal code had been silent on the injury or death of a child in cases of violence against a pregnant woman. This omission in the law has led to clear injustices. The death of an innocent unborn child has too often been treated as a detail in one crime, but not a crime in itself," as per the press release from The White House, dated April 1, 2004.
Laci Peterson wasn't the only victim in the case. Her son Connor, who was eight months in the womb, was also a victim and deserved justice. "All who knew Laci Peterson have mourned two deaths, and the law cannot look away and pretend there was just one," the press release mentioned while adding, "As of today, the law of our nation will acknowledge the plain fact that crimes of violence against a pregnant woman often have two victims"
Criticism against Laci and Conner's Law
Laci and Conner's Law faced criticism from the abortion industry for treading a delicate line. Despite excluding unborn children killed through abortion from its protections to align with the Supreme Court at the time, abortion supporters recognized that the law still implied personhood for unborn children.
This personhood conflicts with the pro-abortion stance, as the 14th Amendment guarantees equal protection under the law for all persons. As Sen John Kerry pointed out, the law can't treat a fetus as a human being while also protecting the right to abortion, as per Chronicles Magazine.
A society that condemns Conner Peterson's death by his father as a horrible crime but would allow his mother to end his life legally will eventually have to face its contradictions.
How to stream 'Face to Face With Scott Peterson'?
In 'Face to Face With Scott Peterson', director Shareen Anderson obtains the first-ever interview of Scott Peterson who was convicted in the double murder case in 2004 and is currently serving life imprisonment. The docuseries will investigate the case from new angles as the case was recently picked up by the Los Angeles Innocence Project to determine if Scott Peterson was wrongly convicted.
'Face to Face With Scott Peterson' premieres coming Tuesday, August 20, 2024, on Peacock. You can watch the series by signing up for Peacock, the membership plan of which costs a minimum of $8 a month (with ads).
'Face to Face With Scott Peterson' trailer