Marshae Jones: DA dismisses manslaughter charge for woman indicted in shooting death of unborn baby

Jefferson County District Attorney Lynniece Washington announced she has dropped a manslaughter charge against Marshae Jones, WBMA reported. No legal action will be taken.

On Dec. 4, 2018, Jones, 27, was five months pregnant when she got into an altercation with Ebony Jemison, 23, in Pleasant Grove, Alabama, on Dec. 4, 2018, AL.com reported. According to police, the two were fighting over the father of Jones' unborn child.

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Police said Jones instigated the fight and Jemison shot her in defense. Jones was taken to a hospital and rushed into surgery. The baby did not survive.

AL.com reported Jemison was charged with manslaughter, but the charges were dismissed when a grand jury decided not to indict her. Jones was arrested last week after a Jefferson County grand jury indicted her on manslaughter charges, according to the Montgomery Advertiser.

"It is simply unconscionable to prosecute a shooting victim for losing her baby as a result of an unforeseeable injury," Jones' attorneys said in a Monday release, according to the Montgomery Advertiser. "The charges against Marshae are based on a flawed and contorted theory of criminal liability that simply does not exist under the law. We are asking the Court to dismiss this unreasonable, unfounded, and unjust indictment with prejudice and without delay."

A number of women's rights groups, -- including the Yellowhammer Fund, which provides funding for abortions in Alabama -- expressed outrage about the indictment, drawing national attention to the case.

After announcing the dismissal of the case, WBMA reported that Washington said: "There are no winners in this case, only losers in the sad ordeal."

Jones' lawyers issued the following statement in response to Washington's decision:

"We are pleased with the District Attorney's decision to dismiss the charges against Marshae Jones. It is an appropriate decision, both for our client and for the State of Alabama.

"This is the outcome we sought this week in our motion to dismiss. We are gratified the District Attorney evaluated the matter and chose not to proceed with a case that was neither reasonable nor just.

"The District Attorney's decision will help Marshae continue to heal from this tragic event and work to rebuild her life in a positive and productive way. She moves forward with enormous gratitude for the support she and her family have received during this challenging time.

"With the dismissal of charges, the community of support that surrounded Marshae can now channel its immense passion and energy toward ensuring that what happened to Marshae won't ever happen again."

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