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ATLANTA, Ga., March 16, 2017 /Christian Newswire/ -- Today Liberty Counsel filed an amicus brief in the case of West Alabama Women's Center v. Miller defending the Alabama law that prohibits dismemberment abortions of live unborn babies, known as Dilation and Extraction (D&E), based on the medical evidence of their ability to feel intense pain.

Liberty Counsel's brief lists ample evidence that unborn babies feel pain. "[I]t is entirely uncontested that a fetus experiences pain in some capacity, from as early as 8 weeks of development." testified Dr. Maureen Condic before U.S. legislators. Early on in fetal development pain transmitters in the spinal cord are abundant, but pain inhibitors are sparse until later, according to Dr. Colleen Malloy. This medical information shows that premature infants have greater pain sensitivity than do full-term infants. Another demonstration of this is how premature babies actually require greater concentrations of medication to maintain effective anesthesia during surgery than full-term babies, as explained in the book Neonatal Pain.

If the vilest criminal has human dignity that protects him from an inhuman, painful punishment, then how much more should our laws protect an innocent unborn child that science proves is inherently human and experiences significant pain? Dr. Condic states "[I]gnoring the pain experienced by another human individual for any reason is barbaric."

Doctors performing the D&E abortions are acutely affected by the child's humanity and experience deep emotions and even nightmares. One deeply pro-choice abortionist was brought to tears when her own unborn child kicked at the exact same time that she severed another's foot in a D&E abortion. "Instantly, tears were streaming from my eyes" said Dr. Lisa Harris. "It was an overwhelming feeling – a brutally visceral response – heartfelt and unmediated by my training or my feminist pro-choice politics."

"We give our pets greater legal protections than we provide to the future citizens of America who have proven their humanity and their sensitivity to pain," said Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel.  "Alabama's law is a common sense solution to a barbaric and gruesome procedure," said Staver.

Liberty Counsel is an international nonprofit, litigation, education, and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of life, and the family since 1989, by providing pro bono assistance and representation on these and related topics.