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H. 3260
STATUS INFORMATION
General Bill
Sponsors: Rep. W.D. Smith
Document Path: l:\council\bills\bbm\10515ahb05.doc
Introduced in the House on January 11, 2005
Currently residing in the House Committee on Judiciary
Summary: Murder of a spouse
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS
Date Body Action Description with journal page number ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/11/2005 House Introduced and read first time HJ-147 1/11/2005 House Referred to Committee on Judiciary HJ-147
View the latest legislative information at the LPITS web site
VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
TO AMEND SECTION 16-3-20, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE PUNISHMENT FOR MURDER, SO AS TO INCLUDE AS A SEPARATE AGGRAVATING CIRCUMSTANCE WHICH MAY BE CONSIDERED IN THE DETERMINATION OF WHETHER THE DEATH PENALTY MAY BE IMPOSED, A MURDER OF A PERSON'S SPOUSE WHILE THE PERSON IS SUBJECT TO A VALID ORDER OF PROTECTION, THE PERSON IS VIOLATING A CONDITION OF BOND, OR THE PERSON IS VIOLATING A RESTRAINING ORDER AND THE MURDER OF A PERSON'S SPOUSE IF THE PERSON HAS A PRIOR CONVICTION FOR CRIMINAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INVOLVING THE SAME VICTIM.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. Section 16-3-20(C)(a) of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 224 of 2002, is further amended to read:
"(a) Statutory aggravating circumstances:
(1) The murder was committed while in the commission of the following crimes or acts:
(a) criminal sexual conduct in any degree;
(b) kidnapping;
(c) burglary in any degree;
(d) robbery while armed with a deadly weapon;
(e) larceny with use of a deadly weapon;
(f) killing by poison;
(g) drug trafficking as defined in Section 44-53-370(e), 44-53-375(B), 44-53-440, or 44-53-445;
(h) physical torture; or
(i) dismemberment of a person.
(2) The murder was committed by a person with a prior conviction for murder.
(3) The offender by his act of murder knowingly created a great risk of death to more than one person in a public place by means of a weapon or device which normally would be hazardous to the lives of more than one person.
(4) The offender committed the murder for himself or another for the purpose of receiving money or a thing of monetary value.
(5) The murder of a judicial officer, former judicial officer, solicitor, former solicitor, or other officer of the court during or because of the exercise of his official duty.
(6) The offender caused or directed another to commit murder or committed murder as an agent or employee of another person.
(7) The murder of a federal, state, or local law enforcement officer or former federal, state, or local law enforcement officer, peace officer or former peace officer, corrections officer or former corrections officer, including a county or municipal corrections officer or a former county or municipal corrections officer, a county or municipal detention facility employee or former county or municipal detention facility employee, or fireman or former fireman during or because of the performance of his official duties.
(8) The murder of a family member of an official listed in subitems (5) and (7) above with the intent to impede or retaliate against the official. 'Family member' means a spouse, parent, brother, sister, child, or person to whom the official stands in the place of a parent or a person living in the official's household and related to him by blood or marriage.
(9) Two or more persons were murdered by the defendant by one act or pursuant to one scheme or course of conduct.
(10) The murder of a child eleven years of age or under.
(11) The murder of a witness or potential witness committed at any time during the criminal process for the purpose of impeding or deterring prosecution of any crime.
(12) The murder of a person's spouse while the person is:
(a) subject to the provisions of a valid order of protection pursuant to Chapter 4, Title 20;
(b) violating a condition of bond; or
(c) violating a restraining order pursuant to Article 17, Chapter 3, Title 16.
(13) The murder of a person's spouse if the person has a prior conviction for criminal domestic violence involving the same victim pursuant to Chapter 25, Title 16."
SECTION 2. The repeal or amendment by this act of any law, whether temporary or permanent or civil or criminal, does not affect pending actions, rights, duties, or liabilities founded thereon, or alter, discharge, release or extinguish any penalty, forfeiture, or liability incurred under the repealed or amended law, unless the repealed or amended provision shall so expressly provide. After the effective date of this act, all laws repealed or amended by this act must be taken and treated as remaining in full force and effect for the purpose of sustaining any pending or vested right, civil action, special proceeding, criminal prosecution, or appeal existing as of the effective date of this act, and for the enforcement of rights, duties, penalties, forfeitures, and liabilities as they stood under the repealed or amended laws.
SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
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