Court: Judge gave pregnancy 'undue weight' in release ruling

TRENTON, N.J. -- A New Jersey appellate court has ruled that pregnancy should not be given greater weight than other factors when a judge decides if a defendant should remain in custody pending trial.

The ruling issued Friday overturned a state judge's recent decision that Imani Williams could be released pending her trial on aggravated assault and robbery charges.

Lawyers for the 20-year-old Riverside woman had argued that she shouldn't be detained because she had a job and was about two months pregnant. But Burlington County prosecutors argued that Williams could be violent, has an extensive history of past crimes and past violations of probation.

The appellate court found that the state judge gave Williams' pregnancy "undue weight," noting that the jail system would be able to provide her with appropriate prenatal care.

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