#102: Forensics and Abortion (w/ Secular Pro-Life's Monica Snyder)

After much anticipation, Josh Brahm FINALLY gets to interview Monica Snyder from Secular Pro-Life about her background and expertise in Forensics. Monica explains how her work in forensics and DNA analysis affects her view on the abortion issue, particularly when it comes to questions about the justice system and why we shouldn't prosecute women who have had abortions.  Content warning: Includes discussion of forensic rape kits as well as methods of testing whether a baby was aborted instead of miscarried.  Links: Testing biological tissue for abortion drugs "Was the Infant Born Alive?" A Review of Postmortem Techniques Used to Determine Live Birth In Cases of Suspected Neonaticide National Right to Life: Joint Open Letter: Criminalizing Women Who Have Abortions is Not Pro-Life ERI Statement: Should Women Be Prosecuted for Illegal Abortions? Secular Pro-Life Equal Rights Institute Equal Rights Institute Blog Equipped for Life Academy Equipped for Life Course Sidewalk Counseling Masterclass Chapters: 00:00:00 Introducing Monica's forensics credentials and background 00:03:25 Describing the Innocence Project 00:06:25 Monica describes her forensics work 00:09:30 Real forensics vs. TV forensics 00:15:50 Why rape cases are difficult to prosecute 00:21:40 Where forensics touches the abortion debate in a post-Dobbs world 00:24:45 Distinguishing abortion pills and miscarriage? 00:34:16 Concerns with attaching criminal penalties to women who have had abortions 00:41:55 What rights do convicted people have? 00:48:35 What would a dystopian prosecution of all women who had abortions look like? 00:49:50 What is a more realistic interpretation of pro-lifers who want to attach criminal penalties to abortion look like? 00:51:10 Plea deals and public defenders 00:54:40 'Steel-manning' the pro-lifers who want to attach criminal penalties to abortion 00:58:10 Trauma associated with miscarriage  00:59:45 Relevant questions from real cases 01:02:20 WARNING: Morbid description 01:03:45 Conclusions from Monica  01:06:30 Josh's eyewitness testimony story 01:11:16 Monica's eyewitness testimony story 01:13:55 Applying this to a recent case  01:17:25 Wrapping up Host: Josh Brahm Guest: Monica Snyder Audio/Video Editors: Joshua Head, Josh Brahm Publisher: Ellen Campbell