In a significant legal development, Ohio woman Brittany Watts has been cleared of felony charges related to ‘abuse of a corpse’ following her miscarriage.
According to reports sighted by ShineMyCrown on Jan 12, 2024, the grand jury in Trumbull County dismissed the indictment after two days of deliberation, a decision that resonated with around 150 supporters at the “We Stand With Brittany!” rally held at the Warren County Courthouse Square.
Facing the potential of a year in prison and a $2,500 fine, Watts’ case sheds light on the challenges women, particularly Black women, may encounter in states with restrictive abortion laws.
The charges stemmed from a miscarriage at 21 weeks, leading to a felony charge that now sparks discussions on the legal threats women face merely for experiencing pregnancy loss.
Watts’ attorney, Traci Timko, said after the legal victory that the case was an unjust “demonization” of her client. She also highlighted the commonality of such situations in the privacy of women’s homes.
The case becomes emblematic of the broader conversation surrounding reproductive rights in a post-Roe vs. Wade landscape, exposing the consequences of restrictive laws on women’s autonomy.
The significance of this legal victory extends to Black women’s experiences, as highlighted by In Our Own Voice, a Black reproductive rights group.
The organization applauded the decision, framing Watts’ case as indicative of the legal threats Black women face for merely existing. The organisation also said the charges against Brittany Watts shows the alarming trend of surveillance, arrests, prosecutions, and punishment for pregnancy loss in states with restrictive abortion laws.
Watts’ case, to many of her backers, becomes a poignant illustration of the urgent issue of Black maternal mortality.
With Black women three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related issues than their White counterparts, the case underscores systemic challenges such as disparities in quality healthcare, underlying health conditions, structural racism, and implicit bias.
Brittany Watts’ legal victory serves as a reminder of the pressing need to address these issues and protect the reproductive rights and well-being of all women, especially those in vulnerable communities.
