Planned Parenthood Southeast Defends Marshae Jones

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Planned Parenthood Condemn Alabama’s Criminalization Of Marshae Jones

Just yesterday we told you the story about Marshae Jones, a black woman facing a manslaughter charge because she was shot in the stomach and her baby didn’t survive. The indictment stated that Jones did “intentionally cause the death” of “Unborn Baby Jones by initiating a fight knowing she was five months pregnant”.

Now Planned Parenthood is speaking out and pledging to support the woman that they say is being criminalized in part because she’s black.

Nia Martin-Robinson, Director of Black Leadership and Engagement, Planned Parenthood Federation of America has released a statement saying that Marshae deserves “compassion and not prosecution.”

“What Alabama has done is cruel. No one deserves to be punished for losing a pregnancy. The indictment of Marshae Jones is a clear example of how politicians and law enforcement criminalize Black people — and it must stop. Marshae Jones’ life matters and she deserves compassion for what happened, not to be prosecuted. Prosecuting someone for being the victim of a violent crime is not only alarming — it’s proof that Alabama will continue to target Black, pregnant people with their laws. By disregarding Marshae’s own well-being, Alabama has made it clear that they do not value Black women’s bodies, health, and lives. People deserve reproductive health care and assistance that is free of state interference and criminalization — they deserve autonomy over their bodies, decisions, and futures.”

Staci Fox, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood Southeast, is also echoing that statement and added that women were supposed to be protected from Alabama’s abortion ban—–but clearly in this similar circumstance, that’s untrue.

“The prosecution of Marshae Jones is absolutely reprehensible. It is more proof that Alabama will do everything in its power to criminalize pregnancy — especially for Black women. After the passage of HB 314, Alabama’s outright abortion ban, Jefferson County District Attorney Danny Carr vowed to not prosecute women who seek abortions. The circumstances are different but the issue is the same. Women should not be prosecuted for the loss of their pregnancies. Period. We call on District Attorney Carr to drop the charges immediately.”

Planned Parenthood isn’t the only group defending Marshae, The Mississippi Reproductive Freedom Fund and the Yellowhammer Fund are among those accepting donations to meet Jones’s bail. Activists are also fighting fiercely to have her charges dropped.

Do YOU think Marshae deserves to be behind bars???