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Colorado Republicans Plan To File Fetal Homicide Bill

DENVER (AP) — Colorado Republican lawmakers upset about a decision not to file a murder charge in an attack on a pregnant woman plan to introduce a fetal homicide bill.

Senate President Bill Cadman announced Friday that legislation to extend legal protections to unborn children is being drafted.

The announcement came after prosecutors said they will not file murder charges against 34-year-old Dynel Lane after she allegedly cut open a pregnant woman's belly and took her baby.

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The coroner found no evidence that the baby showed signs of life outside the womb.

Under Colorado law, a person can be charged with murdering a baby only if there's evidence the baby survived apart from its mother.

By Sadie Gurman

(© Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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