Wrongful Death Claimed in Case of Discarded Embryo

(AP) A couple whose frozen embryo was accidentally destroyed at a fertility clinic has the right in Illinois to file a wrongful-death lawsuit, a judge has ruled in a case that some legal experts say could have implications in the debate over embryonic stem cell research.

In an opinion issued Friday, Judge Jeffrey Lawrence said "a pre-embryo is a 'human being' ...whether or not it is implanted in its mother's womb."

He said the couple is as entitled to seek compensation as any parents whose child has been killed.

I really, really hope this couple wins their case. It is very similar to the controversy surrounding cases where an unborn child killed in a crime or accident lead to a murder conviction (most recently, the Scott Peterson case) yet abortion remains legal. I think (or at least, I pray) that the more we face the contradictions in the law head on, the more our society will realize and be compelled to accept the sanctity of human life at all stages.