Well, this makes sense. The husband of 31-year-old Lori Stodghill and her unborn twins, who died in the lobby of St. Thomas More Hospital in Canon City, Colorado, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the hospital and its conglomerate, Catholic Health Initiatives, for all three victims. Here's a writeup, and now there's an interview:
Stodghill passed away of a heart attack while waiting for care on New Year's Day of 2006. The litigation has been going on for two years, and defense attorneys just launched an argument that startled bereaved husband Jeremy Stodghill, as well as anyone familiar with the Catholic stance on abortion: an embryo is not a person. The judge ruled in favor of the hospital, which then counter-sued Stoghill for over $118,000 in legal fees.
Jeremy Stodghill has petitioned the state's Supreme Court to hear his case and plans on following up with the Catholic Church on the matter. Although reps for the Catholic bishops of Colorado declined to comment on the legal tactic, they have stated that they plan to review the Catholic Health Initiative's practices "to ensure fidelity and faithful witness to the teachings of the Catholic Church." So remember, kids: Life begins at conception, except when it's inconvenient and costly!
'Lawyers for Catholic hospital argue that a fetus is not a person' [CNN]