Gerardo Flores
Encyclopedia
Gerardo Flores of Lufkin, Texas
, was convicted in 2005 of two counts of capital murder for giving his girlfriend, who was carrying twins, an at-home abortion the previous year. Prosecutors chose not to seek the death penalty, and so he was sentenced automatically to life in prison without the possibility of parole
for 40 years. The conviction and sentence were denounced as the most draconian punishment for abortion in America in decades.
His girlfriend, Erica Basoria, was sixteen years old and five months pregnant at the time. She was unable to get an abortion
, so after her own attempts to induce miscarriage
failed she called upon Flores to try stepping on her midsection. A week later she miscarried. Under Texas law a woman cannot be charged with causing the deaths of her own fetuses, so Flores alone stood trial.
Lufkin, Texas
Lufkin is a city in Angelina County, Texas, United States. Founded in 1882, the population was 35,067 in 2010. It is the county seat of Angelina County, and is situated in Deep East Texas.-History:...
, was convicted in 2005 of two counts of capital murder for giving his girlfriend, who was carrying twins, an at-home abortion the previous year. Prosecutors chose not to seek the death penalty, and so he was sentenced automatically to life in prison without the possibility of parole
Parole
Parole may have different meanings depending on the field and judiciary system. All of the meanings originated from the French parole . Following its use in late-resurrected Anglo-French chivalric practice, the term became associated with the release of prisoners based on prisoners giving their...
for 40 years. The conviction and sentence were denounced as the most draconian punishment for abortion in America in decades.
His girlfriend, Erica Basoria, was sixteen years old and five months pregnant at the time. She was unable to get an abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
, so after her own attempts to induce miscarriage
Miscarriage
Miscarriage or spontaneous abortion is the spontaneous end of a pregnancy at a stage where the embryo or fetus is incapable of surviving independently, generally defined in humans at prior to 20 weeks of gestation...
failed she called upon Flores to try stepping on her midsection. A week later she miscarried. Under Texas law a woman cannot be charged with causing the deaths of her own fetuses, so Flores alone stood trial.