Bill would increase penalties for attacks on pregnant women

June 16, 2009 |By DAVID KROUGH, kgw.com Staff | kgw.com

SALEM, Ore. – A new bill seeking stricter punishment for anyone who attacks a pregnant woman got its first read in the Oregon Legislature this week.

The legislation comes in response to the murder of Heather Snively, 21, who was found dead inside the crawl space of her Beaverton home last Friday. Background: Pregnant woman killed

State Sen. Bruce Starr drafted legislation last week that would have criminalized the murder or manslaughter of an unborn child. The bill was updated without the unborn child clause, and seeks to increase penalties for an attack on or killing of a pregnant woman.

Heather Snively

Leg. Assistant Dawn Phillips said the aim was to help prosecutors in the Roberts case come up with a way to “make the punishment fit the crime,” since under current Oregon law, the unborn child was not considered a murder victim. The law says the state defines a person as having drawn a first breath.

“The current aggravated murder law includes court employees and victims under 14 among others,” Starr said. “I would argue pregnant women are certainly very vulnerable and need a special level of protection.”

“This legislation would provide long needed law that recognizes the seriousness of an assault of a pregnant woman and provides appropriate sanctions for the crime,” Washington County DA Bob Hermann said.

“No one should ever have to experience the loss we have,” Chris Popp, Snively’s boyfriend and former father-to-be said. “Losing not only one, but two family members makes this an aggravated crime.”

Popp also said they had set up a fund in Snively's name to help agencies that assist pregnant women. Donations could be given at any Bank of America.

HB 3505 increases this type of assault to a first degree crime with a maximum 20‐year sentence and $375,000 penalty.

It was awaiting a hearing.