State Legislation Imposing Civil and Criminal Sanctions on Expectant Mothers in an Effort to Protect the Fetus

The link at the above right is to the Mediasite video of this presentation. Professor Cherry's presentation begins at 1:51:42 and ends at 2:30:10. (For best results, view using the Firefox browser)

Professor Cherry’s presentation will examine the concept of “maternal deviance” as state legislatures and courts impose civil and criminal penalties on expectant mothers in the interest of protecting the fetus. Her presentation will explore the connection between the “compelling state interest in the fetus” rhetoric, feticide statutes, and the image of maternal orthodoxy that leads us to criminalize the behavior of pregnant women, regardless of mental illness.