Pregnant woman who lost unborn child in shooting will not be charged

July 3, 2019

An Alabama woman who was shot and lost her unborn child to a miscarriage will no longer be charged with manslaughter, CBS affiliate WIAT reported. The Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office announced the decision Wednesday and said there would be no further legal action taken against 27-year-old Marshae Jones.

Jones was five months pregnant when she was shot in the stomach during a physical altercation with Ebony Jemison, 23, at a Birmingham shopping center. A grand jury had ruled that Johnson acted in self-defense when she pulled a gun and shot Jones.

The indictment said Jones “intentionally caused the death of her unborn baby by initiating a fight knowing she was five months pregnant,” concluding it was “caused in a sudden heat of passion.”

Jones’ attorneys said in a statement they were “pleased” that the district attorney decided to drop the charges.

“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,” the statement said.

“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.”