DA Drops Case Of Marshae Jones, Who Was Indicted In Fetus Death

Prosecutors have dropped the case against Marshae Jones, the woman indicted on a manslaughter charge by a Jefferson County grand jury after a fatal shooting killed her unborn child. Jefferson County Cutoff District Attorney Lynneice Washington announced her decision in Bessemer on Wednesday, according to reporters who attended the announcement.

"This is truly a disturbing and heartbreaking case," Washington said. "An unborn child was tragically lost and families on both sides of this matter have suffered."

Washington said nothing that is done today or in the future would change that reality. After reviewing the facts of the case and applicable state law, Washington said she determined that it was not in the best interest of justice to pursue a prosecution of 27-year-old Jones.

"No further legal action will be taken against Miss Jones in this matter," Washington said.

Washington said her decision not to prosecute the case was in no way a critcism of the hard-working members of the grand jury.

Jones' case made national headlines, in the wake of the most restrictive abortion law in the country passed in Alabama. Women's rights activists, pro-choice activists and civil rights groups came to Jones' defense from across the country.

Shaunna Thomas, co-founder and executive director of UltraViolet, a leading national women's group, said, "This is the toxic collision of the everyday racism, sexism, and violence experienced by Black women and the terrifying end point of the dangerous anti-choice laws spreading across the country, including in Alabama, that devalue, dehumanize and criminalize women."

As well, attorneys for Jones cited an Alabama law that would likely have prevented the case from going further. Though the code does include "fetal homicide" language, which defines an "unborn child in utero" as a human being, regardless of viability, the code also states that the prosecution of "any woman with respect to her unborn child" should not be permitted under criminal homicide charges like manslaughter.