Missouri Supreme Court Denies Human Cloning Appeal

May 12, 2006, JEFFERSON CITY, MO – On Thursday May 11, 2006 the Missouri Supreme Court denied the appeal of the Catholic bishops of Missouri that the ballot title to the stem cell research initiative was deceptive and misleading. In their appeal to the Missouri Supreme Court, the bishops stated that the official ballot title misleads and deceives the Missouri voters because it claims to “ban human cloning” while expressly legalizing human cloning for scientific research.

The full text of the proposed amendment to the state constitution that will not be available to voters in the voting booth allows a human cloning procedure known as somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT), which in a number of states has been defined as human cloning and has been banned.

“We are very disappointed that the Supreme Court has refused to hear this case,” stated Deacon Larry Weber, Executive Director of the Missouri Catholic Conference. “Missouri voters have a right to know that somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) is human cloning and this initiative will enshrine human cloning and the destruction of human life in the state’s constitution. We will continue to educate Missouri voters regarding the deceptive nature of this human cloning initiative.”