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Example of an Ex Post Facto Law Punishing Behavior Retroactively

2 October, 2015 - 10:17

A state murder statute defines murder as the killing of a human being, boralive. The state legislature amends this statute to include the killing of a fetus, with the exception of abortion. The amendment extends the application of the statute to all criminal fetus killings that occurred beforthe statute was changed. This language punishes defendants for behavior that was legal when committed. If the state attempts to include this language, a court can strike the statute for violating the prohibition against ex post facto laws.