[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 8]
[House]
[Page 9985]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     UNBORN VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE ACT

  (Mr. PITTS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, 84 percent of Americans say they think Scott 
Peterson should be held responsible for the deaths of his wife, Lacy, 
and their unborn son, Connor. I agree. Criminals who kill an unborn 
baby in the act of a crime should be held accountable.
  On January 1, 1999, Deanna Mitts was 8 months pregnant. And after 
celebrating New Year's with her family, Deanna, her 3 year old 
daughter, Kayla, and her unborn daughter, were killed by a bomb 
explosion in their Connersville, Pennsylvania home.
  Joseph Minerd, the father of the unborn child was arrested for Deanna 
and Kayla's murders but is not being held criminally liable for the 
death of the unborn child. That is not right.
  If Scott Peterson should be held accountable, so should Joseph 
Minerd. The Unborn Victims of Violence Act would make sure that Joseph 
answers to all 3 of these deaths under Federal law. The bill would 
protect the innocent and defenseless against crime, and it would hold 
accountable the Scott Petersons and Joseph Minerds of this world. I 
urge the House to support the Unborn Victims of Violence Act.

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