97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2011 and 2012
HB1738

 

Introduced , by Rep. Dennis M. Reboletti

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
720 ILCS 5/9-1  from Ch. 38, par. 9-1

    Amends the Criminal Code of 1961 relating to first degree murder. Adds and eliminates aggravating factors for which the death penalty may be imposed.


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CORRECTIONAL BUDGET AND IMPACT NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

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1    AN ACT concerning criminal law.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Criminal Code of 1961 is amended by changing
5Section 9-1 as follows:
 
6    (720 ILCS 5/9-1)  (from Ch. 38, par. 9-1)
7    Sec. 9-1. First degree Murder - Death penalties -
8Exceptions - Separate Hearings - Proof - Findings - Appellate
9procedures - Reversals.
10    (a) A person who kills an individual without lawful
11justification commits first degree murder if, in performing the
12acts which cause the death:
13        (1) he either intends to kill or do great bodily harm
14    to that individual or another, or knows that such acts will
15    cause death to that individual or another; or
16        (2) he knows that such acts create a strong probability
17    of death or great bodily harm to that individual or
18    another; or
19        (3) he is attempting or committing a forcible felony
20    other than second degree murder.
21    (b) Aggravating Factors. A defendant who at the time of the
22commission of the offense has attained the age of 18 or more
23and who has been found guilty of first degree murder may be

 

 

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1sentenced to death if:
2        (1) Murder of a peace officer, correctional employee,
3    or fireman in the performance of his or her duties. the
4    murdered individual was a peace officer, employee of an
5    institution or facility of the Department of Corrections,
6    or any similar local correctional agency, or fireman killed
7    in the course of performing his official duties, to prevent
8    the performance of his official duties, or in retaliation
9    for performing his official duties, and the defendant knew
10    or should have known that the murdered individual was so
11    employed a peace officer or fireman; or
12        (2) (Blank). the murdered individual was an employee of
13    an institution or facility of the Department of
14    Corrections, or any similar local correctional agency,
15    killed in the course of performing his official duties, to
16    prevent the performance of his official duties, or in
17    retaliation for performing his official duties, or the
18    murdered individual was an inmate at such institution or
19    facility and was killed on the grounds thereof, or the
20    murdered individual was otherwise present in such
21    institution or facility with the knowledge and approval of
22    the chief administrative officer thereof; or
23        (3) Multiple murders. the defendant has been convicted
24    of murdering two or more individuals under subsection (a)
25    of this Section or under any law of the United States or of
26    any state which is substantially similar to subsection (a)

 

 

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1    of this Section regardless of whether the deaths occurred
2    as the result of the same act or of several related or
3    unrelated acts so long as the deaths were the result of
4    either an intent to kill more than one person or of
5    separate acts which the defendant knew would cause death or
6    create a strong probability of death or great bodily harm
7    to the murdered individual or another; or
8        (4) (Blank). the murdered individual was killed as a
9    result of the hijacking of an airplane, train, ship, bus or
10    other public conveyance; or
11        (5) Murder for hire. the defendant committed the murder
12    pursuant to a contract, agreement or understanding by which
13    he was to receive money or anything of value in return for
14    committing the murder or procured another to commit the
15    murder for money or anything of value; or
16        (6) Murder while committing a sexually violent felony.
17    the murdered individual was killed in the course of another
18    felony if:
19            (a) the murdered individual:
20                (i) was actually killed by the defendant, or
21                (ii) received physical injuries personally
22            inflicted by the defendant substantially
23            contemporaneously with physical injuries caused by
24            one or more persons for whose conduct the defendant
25            is legally accountable under Section 5-2 of this
26            Code, and the physical injuries inflicted by

 

 

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1            either the defendant or the other person or persons
2            for whose conduct he is legally accountable caused
3            the death of the murdered individual; and
4            (b) in performing the acts which caused the death
5        of the murdered individual or which resulted in
6        physical injuries personally inflicted by the
7        defendant on the murdered individual under the
8        circumstances of subdivision (ii) of subparagraph (a)
9        of paragraph (6) of subsection (b) of this Section, the
10        defendant acted with the intent to kill the murdered
11        individual or with the knowledge that his acts created
12        a strong probability of death or great bodily harm to
13        the murdered individual or another; and
14            (c) the other felony was a sexually an inherently
15        violent crime or the attempt to commit a sexually an
16        inherently violent crime. In this subparagraph (c),
17        "sexually inherently violent crime" includes, but is
18        not limited to, armed robbery, robbery, predatory
19        criminal sexual assault of a child, aggravated
20        criminal sexual assault, criminal sexual assault, and
21        aggravated criminal sexual abuse aggravated
22        kidnapping, aggravated vehicular hijacking, aggravated
23        arson, aggravated stalking, residential burglary, and
24        home invasion; or
25        (7) Exceptionally brutal or heinous murder of a child,
26    or of an elderly or disabled person. (a) the murdered

 

 

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1    individual was (1) under 12 years of age or (2) 65 years or
2    older and the death resulted from exceptionally brutal or
3    heinous behavior indicative of wanton cruelty; or
4            (b) the murdered individual was a disabled person
5        and the defendant knew or should have known that the
6        murdered individual was disabled and the death
7        resulted from exceptionally brutal or heinous behavior
8        indicative of wanton cruelty. For purposes of this
9        subparagraph (7)(b), "disabled person" means a person
10        who suffers from a permanent physical or mental
11        impairment resulting from disease, an injury, a
12        functional disorder, or a congenital condition that
13        renders the person incapable of adequately providing
14        for his or her own health or personal care; or
15        (8) Murder of a witness or participant in an
16    Investigation or Prosecution. the defendant committed the
17    murder with intent to prevent the murdered individual from
18    testifying or participating in any criminal investigation
19    or prosecution or giving material assistance to the State
20    in any investigation or prosecution, either against the
21    defendant or another; or the defendant committed the murder
22    because the murdered individual was a witness in any
23    prosecution or gave material assistance to the State in any
24    investigation or prosecution, either against the defendant
25    or another; for purposes of this paragraph (8),
26    "participating in any criminal investigation or

 

 

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1    prosecution" is intended to include those appearing in the
2    proceedings in any capacity such as trial judges,
3    prosecutors, defense attorneys, investigators, witnesses,
4    or jurors; or
5        (9) (Blank). the defendant, while committing an
6    offense punishable under Sections 401, 401.1, 401.2, 405,
7    405.2, 407 or 407.1 or subsection (b) of Section 404 of the
8    Illinois Controlled Substances Act, or while engaged in a
9    conspiracy or solicitation to commit such offense,
10    intentionally killed an individual or counseled,
11    commanded, induced, procured or caused the intentional
12    killing of the murdered individual; or
13        (10) (Blank). the defendant was incarcerated in an
14    institution or facility of the Department of Corrections at
15    the time of the murder, and while committing an offense
16    punishable as a felony under Illinois law, or while engaged
17    in a conspiracy or solicitation to commit such offense,
18    intentionally killed an individual or counseled,
19    commanded, induced, procured or caused the intentional
20    killing of the murdered individual; or
21        (11) (Blank). the murder was committed in a cold,
22    calculated and premeditated manner pursuant to a
23    preconceived plan, scheme or design to take a human life by
24    unlawful means, and the conduct of the defendant created a
25    reasonable expectation that the death of a human being
26    would result therefrom; or

 

 

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1        (12) (Blank). the murdered individual was an emergency
2    medical technician - ambulance, emergency medical
3    technician - intermediate, emergency medical technician -
4    paramedic, ambulance driver, or other medical assistance
5    or first aid personnel, employed by a municipality or other
6    governmental unit, killed in the course of performing his
7    official duties, to prevent the performance of his official
8    duties, or in retaliation for performing his official
9    duties, and the defendant knew or should have known that
10    the murdered individual was an emergency medical
11    technician - ambulance, emergency medical technician -
12    intermediate, emergency medical technician - paramedic,
13    ambulance driver, or other medical assistance or first aid
14    personnel; or
15        (13) (Blank). the defendant was a principal
16    administrator, organizer, or leader of a calculated
17    criminal drug conspiracy consisting of a hierarchical
18    position of authority superior to that of all other members
19    of the conspiracy, and the defendant counseled, commanded,
20    induced, procured, or caused the intentional killing of the
21    murdered person; or
22        (14) Torture. the murder was intentional and involved
23    the infliction of torture. For the purpose of this Section
24    torture means the infliction of or subjection to extreme
25    physical pain, motivated by an intent to increase or
26    prolong the pain, suffering or agony of the victim; or

 

 

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1        (15) (Blank). the murder was committed as a result of
2    the intentional discharge of a firearm by the defendant
3    from a motor vehicle and the victim was not present within
4    the motor vehicle; or
5        (16) (Blank). the murdered individual was 60 years of
6    age or older and the death resulted from exceptionally
7    brutal or heinous behavior indicative of wanton cruelty; or
8        (17) (Blank). the murdered individual was a disabled
9    person and the defendant knew or should have known that the
10    murdered individual was disabled. For purposes of this
11    paragraph (17), "disabled person" means a person who
12    suffers from a permanent physical or mental impairment
13    resulting from disease, an injury, a functional disorder,
14    or a congenital condition that renders the person incapable
15    of adequately providing for his or her own health or
16    personal care; or
17        (18) (Blank). the murder was committed by reason of any
18    person's activity as a community policing volunteer or to
19    prevent any person from engaging in activity as a community
20    policing volunteer; or
21        (19) (Blank). the murdered individual was subject to an
22    order of protection and the murder was committed by a
23    person against whom the same order of protection was issued
24    under the Illinois Domestic Violence Act of 1986; or
25        (20) (Blank). the murdered individual was known by the
26    defendant to be a teacher or other person employed in any

 

 

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1    school and the teacher or other employee is upon the
2    grounds of a school or grounds adjacent to a school, or is
3    in any part of a building used for school purposes; or
4        (21) (Blank). the murder was committed by the defendant
5    in connection with or as a result of the offense of
6    terrorism as defined in Section 29D-14.9 of this Code.
7    (b-5) Aggravating Factor; Natural Life Imprisonment. A
8defendant who has been found guilty of first degree murder and
9who at the time of the commission of the offense had attained
10the age of 18 years or more may be sentenced to natural life
11imprisonment if (i) the murdered individual was a physician,
12physician assistant, psychologist, nurse, or advanced practice
13nurse, (ii) the defendant knew or should have known that the
14murdered individual was a physician, physician assistant,
15psychologist, nurse, or advanced practice nurse, and (iii) the
16murdered individual was killed in the course of acting in his
17or her capacity as a physician, physician assistant,
18psychologist, nurse, or advanced practice nurse, or to prevent
19him or her from acting in that capacity, or in retaliation for
20his or her acting in that capacity.
21     (c) Consideration of factors in Aggravation and
22Mitigation.
23    The court shall consider, or shall instruct the jury to
24consider any aggravating and any mitigating factors which are
25relevant to the imposition of the death penalty. Aggravating
26factors may include but need not be limited to those factors

 

 

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1set forth in subsection (b). Mitigating factors may include but
2need not be limited to the following:
3        (1) the defendant has no significant history of prior
4    criminal activity;
5        (2) the murder was committed while the defendant was
6    under the influence of extreme mental or emotional
7    disturbance, although not such as to constitute a defense
8    to prosecution;
9        (3) the murdered individual was a participant in the
10    defendant's homicidal conduct or consented to the
11    homicidal act;
12        (4) the defendant acted under the compulsion of threat
13    or menace of the imminent infliction of death or great
14    bodily harm;
15        (5) the defendant was not personally present during
16    commission of the act or acts causing death;
17        (6) the defendant's background includes a history of
18    extreme emotional or physical abuse;
19        (7) the defendant suffers from a reduced mental
20    capacity.
21    (d) Separate sentencing hearing.
22    Where requested by the State, the court shall conduct a
23separate sentencing proceeding to determine the existence of
24factors set forth in subsection (b) and to consider any
25aggravating or mitigating factors as indicated in subsection
26(c). The proceeding shall be conducted:

 

 

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1        (1) before the jury that determined the defendant's
2    guilt; or
3        (2) before a jury impanelled for the purpose of the
4    proceeding if:
5            A. the defendant was convicted upon a plea of
6        guilty; or
7            B. the defendant was convicted after a trial before
8        the court sitting without a jury; or
9            C. the court for good cause shown discharges the
10        jury that determined the defendant's guilt; or
11        (3) before the court alone if the defendant waives a
12    jury for the separate proceeding.
13    (e) Evidence and Argument.
14    During the proceeding any information relevant to any of
15the factors set forth in subsection (b) may be presented by
16either the State or the defendant under the rules governing the
17admission of evidence at criminal trials. Any information
18relevant to any additional aggravating factors or any
19mitigating factors indicated in subsection (c) may be presented
20by the State or defendant regardless of its admissibility under
21the rules governing the admission of evidence at criminal
22trials. The State and the defendant shall be given fair
23opportunity to rebut any information received at the hearing.
24    (f) Proof.
25    The burden of proof of establishing the existence of any of
26the factors set forth in subsection (b) is on the State and

 

 

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1shall not be satisfied unless established beyond a reasonable
2doubt.
3    (g) Procedure - Jury.
4    If at the separate sentencing proceeding the jury finds
5that none of the factors set forth in subsection (b) exists,
6the court shall sentence the defendant to a term of
7imprisonment under Chapter V of the Unified Code of
8Corrections. If there is a unanimous finding by the jury that
9one or more of the factors set forth in subsection (b) exist,
10the jury shall consider aggravating and mitigating factors as
11instructed by the court and shall determine whether the
12sentence of death shall be imposed. If the jury determines
13unanimously, after weighing the factors in aggravation and
14mitigation, that death is the appropriate sentence, the court
15shall sentence the defendant to death. If the court does not
16concur with the jury determination that death is the
17appropriate sentence, the court shall set forth reasons in
18writing including what facts or circumstances the court relied
19upon, along with any relevant documents, that compelled the
20court to non-concur with the sentence. This document and any
21attachments shall be part of the record for appellate review.
22The court shall be bound by the jury's sentencing
23determination.
24    If after weighing the factors in aggravation and
25mitigation, one or more jurors determines that death is not the
26appropriate sentence, the court shall sentence the defendant to

 

 

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1a term of imprisonment under Chapter V of the Unified Code of
2Corrections.
3    (h) Procedure - No Jury.
4    In a proceeding before the court alone, if the court finds
5that none of the factors found in subsection (b) exists, the
6court shall sentence the defendant to a term of imprisonment
7under Chapter V of the Unified Code of Corrections.
8    If the Court determines that one or more of the factors set
9forth in subsection (b) exists, the Court shall consider any
10aggravating and mitigating factors as indicated in subsection
11(c). If the Court determines, after weighing the factors in
12aggravation and mitigation, that death is the appropriate
13sentence, the Court shall sentence the defendant to death.
14    If the court finds that death is not the appropriate
15sentence, the court shall sentence the defendant to a term of
16imprisonment under Chapter V of the Unified Code of
17Corrections.
18    (h-5) Decertification as a capital case.
19    In a case in which the defendant has been found guilty of
20first degree murder by a judge or jury, or a case on remand for
21resentencing, and the State seeks the death penalty as an
22appropriate sentence, on the court's own motion or the written
23motion of the defendant, the court may decertify the case as a
24death penalty case if the court finds that the only evidence
25supporting the defendant's conviction is the uncorroborated
26testimony of an informant witness, as defined in Section 115-21

 

 

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1of the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963, concerning the
2confession or admission of the defendant or that the sole
3evidence against the defendant is a single eyewitness or single
4accomplice without any other corroborating evidence. If the
5court decertifies the case as a capital case under either of
6the grounds set forth above, the court shall issue a written
7finding. The State may pursue its right to appeal the
8decertification pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 604(a)(1). If
9the court does not decertify the case as a capital case, the
10matter shall proceed to the eligibility phase of the sentencing
11hearing.
12    (i) Appellate Procedure.
13    The conviction and sentence of death shall be subject to
14automatic review by the Supreme Court. Such review shall be in
15accordance with rules promulgated by the Supreme Court. The
16Illinois Supreme Court may overturn the death sentence, and
17order the imposition of imprisonment under Chapter V of the
18Unified Code of Corrections if the court finds that the death
19sentence is fundamentally unjust as applied to the particular
20case. If the Illinois Supreme Court finds that the death
21sentence is fundamentally unjust as applied to the particular
22case, independent of any procedural grounds for relief, the
23Illinois Supreme Court shall issue a written opinion explaining
24this finding.
25    (j) Disposition of reversed death sentence.
26    In the event that the death penalty in this Act is held to

 

 

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1be unconstitutional by the Supreme Court of the United States
2or of the State of Illinois, any person convicted of first
3degree murder shall be sentenced by the court to a term of
4imprisonment under Chapter V of the Unified Code of
5Corrections.
6    In the event that any death sentence pursuant to the
7sentencing provisions of this Section is declared
8unconstitutional by the Supreme Court of the United States or
9of the State of Illinois, the court having jurisdiction over a
10person previously sentenced to death shall cause the defendant
11to be brought before the court, and the court shall sentence
12the defendant to a term of imprisonment under Chapter V of the
13Unified Code of Corrections.
14    (k) Guidelines for seeking the death penalty.
15    The Attorney General and State's Attorneys Association
16shall consult on voluntary guidelines for procedures governing
17whether or not to seek the death penalty. The guidelines do not
18have the force of law and are only advisory in nature.
19(Source: P.A. 96-710, eff. 1-1-10; 96-1475, eff. 1-1-11.)