Colorado woman who cut baby from stranger’s womb convicted

Matthew Jonas/AP From left, Defense attorneys Kathryn Herold and Jen Beck stand with Dynel Lane as the jury enters the courtroom Tuesday.

Jurors found Dynel Lane, 36, guilty of attempted first-degree murder, assault and unlawful termination of a pregnancy in the March 2015 attack on Michelle Wilkins, who was 7 ½ months pregnant.

A COLORADO jury has convicted a woman of attempted first-degree murder and assault for stabbing a pregnant stranger and cutting her foetus from her womb, after luring the victim to her home with an online advertisement for free maternity clothes.

Boulder County District Attorney Stan Garnett said prosecutors have not determined the prison sentence they will seek but it could amount to more than 100 years.

That prompted Republican legislation that would have allowed murder charges for killing a foetus, but Democrats rejected it. Wilkins suddenly felt the anguish of a mother unable to see her daughter’s eyes, her smile or even her first breath.

Jurors deliberated for roughly six hours Monday and one hour Tuesday before informing Chief District Court Judge Maria Berkenkotter that they had reached a verdict in the case against Dynel Lane.

“I did all the things that a mom would want to do”, Wilkins said in an interview Tuesday.

Wilkins, who recovered from her wounds, called the conviction a “triumph of justice”.

“After all of that, she’s lying there with her guts hanging out, bleeding profusely”, Weigel said of Wilkins.

On Thursday social media messages Lane sent were also shared, and showed that she had told some people she gave birth to a baby boy and others that she was still pregnant.

“I do hope she finds the time to reflect on what she did”, Ms Wilkins told reporters outside court.

“She made it OK to have an emotional response in what is otherwise not done in law enforcement culture”, Kemper said.

A few days after the attack – during which Wilkins had her unborn baby cut from her womb by Dynel Lane – she asked for permission from her superiors to visit Wilkins at Longmont United Hospital.

“I really felt like I could just rest and by myself”, Wilkins said “I joined a pottery studio for a short spell so I could focus on some creative endeavors but I really felt the call to come back to Colorado”.

The day of the attack, Ridley told police he returned home from work early to take Lane to a prenatal appointment.

Wilkins later thanked the public for the outpouring of support she received after the tragedt.

The unborn child, later found by Lane’s husband in her bathtub, was pronounced dead.

He said he held Wilkins’ hands to comfort her, and listened to her.

She also recalled Lane smashing a glass bottle over her head, covering her face and chest in a wet substance that mixed with her own blood.

Michelle Wilkins testifies during the trial.

“I’m in disbelief that someone would be so callous and ignorant of the consequences of their actions for everyone involved … for her family”, Wilkins said.