Leniency sought for some moms who kill infants

Article here. Excerpt:

'State Rep. Jessica Farrar pushed a proposal through a House committee last week that could lessen penalties for some mothers who kill their infants.

The measure is aimed at women who show signs of postpartum psychosis, a rare condition that's been cited in such high-profile murder cases as that of Andrea Yates, the Texas mom who drowned her five children six months after giving birth to her youngest.

The long-shot bill will likely never see the House floor, the Houston Democrat acknowledged, and she's fine with that.
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Under the bill, a defendant's attorney could argue during the punishment stage of a murder trial that the mother's judgment was impaired by the effects of birth or lactation. If the victim was younger than 12 months old, the crime could be reduced to a state jail felony, meaning a maximum sentence of two years and a minimum of 180 days. Currently, the slaying of anyone under the age of 6 brings a capital murder charge.

"It's outrageous legislation," said Jonathan Saenz, director of legislative affairs for the conservative Free Market Foundation, a group that has lobbied against the bill. "The fact the mom could be walking six months after killing one of her infants is disgraceful."'