State of Illinois
91st General Assembly
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91_HB0735

 
                                               LRB9100422RCpc

 1        AN  ACT  concerning  the  death  penalty,  which  may  be
 2    referred  to  as  the  Illinois  Death   Penalty   Moritorium
 3    Amendment of 1999.

 4        WHEREAS,  It  is  morally  incumbent  for  the  State  of
 5    Illinois  to  prevent  the mistaken execution of any innocent
 6    prisoner in the State; and

 7        WHEREAS, Facts have emerged that some Illinois  prisoners
 8    have been wrongfully sentenced to death; therefore

 9        Be  it  enacted  by  the People of the State of Illinois,
10    represented in the General Assembly:

11        Section 5.  The Criminal  Code  of  1961  is  amended  by
12    changing Section 9-1 as follows:

13        (720 ILCS 5/9-1) (from Ch. 38, par. 9-1)
14        Sec.  9-1.  First  degree  Murder  -  Death  penalties  -
15    Exceptions - Separate Hearings - Proof - Findings - Appellate
16    procedures - Reversals.
17        (a)  A  person  who  kills  an  individual without lawful
18    justification commits first degree murder if,  in  performing
19    the acts which cause the death:
20             (1)  he  either  intends  to kill or do great bodily
21        harm to that individual or another, or  knows  that  such
22        acts will cause death to that individual or another; or
23             (2)  he   knows  that  such  acts  create  a  strong
24        probability  of  death  or  great  bodily  harm  to  that
25        individual or another; or
26             (3)  he  is  attempting  or  committing  a  forcible
27        felony other than second degree murder.
28        (b)  Aggravating Factors.  A defendant who at the time of
29    the commission of the offense has attained the age of  18  or
30    more and who has been found guilty of first degree murder may
 
                            -2-                LRB9100422RCpc
 1    be sentenced to death if:
 2             (1)  the  murdered individual was a peace officer or
 3        fireman killed in the course of performing  his  official
 4        duties,  to  prevent  the  performance  of  his  official
 5        duties,  or  in  retaliation  for performing his official
 6        duties, and the defendant knew or should have known  that
 7        the  murdered  individual was a peace officer or fireman;
 8        or
 9             (2)  the murdered individual was an employee  of  an
10        institution or facility of the Department of Corrections,
11        or  any  similar local correctional agency, killed in the
12        course of performing his official duties, to prevent  the
13        performance of his official duties, or in retaliation for
14        performing   his   official   duties,   or  the  murdered
15        individual was an inmate at such institution or  facility
16        and  was  killed  on the grounds thereof, or the murdered
17        individual was otherwise present in such  institution  or
18        facility  with  the  knowledge  and approval of the chief
19        administrative officer thereof; or
20             (3)  the defendant has been convicted  of  murdering
21        two  or  more  individuals  under  subsection (a) of this
22        Section or under any law of the United States or  of  any
23        state which is substantially similar to subsection (a) of
24        this  Section  regardless  of whether the deaths occurred
25        as the result of the same act or of  several  related  or
26        unrelated  acts  so long as the deaths were the result of
27        either an intent to kill  more  than  one  person  or  of
28        separate  acts which the defendant knew would cause death
29        or create a strong probability of death or  great  bodily
30        harm to the murdered individual or another; or
31             (4)  the  murdered individual was killed as a result
32        of the hijacking of an  airplane,  train,  ship,  bus  or
33        other public conveyance; or
34             (5)  the  defendant committed the murder pursuant to
 
                            -3-                LRB9100422RCpc
 1        a contract, agreement or understanding by which he was to
 2        receive  money  or  anything  of  value  in  return   for
 3        committing  the  murder or procured another to commit the
 4        murder for money or anything of value; or
 5             (6)  the  murdered  individual  was  killed  in  the
 6        course of another felony if:
 7                  (a)  the murdered individual:
 8                       (i)  was actually killed by the defendant,
 9                  or
10                       (ii)  received      physical      injuries
11                  personally   inflicted   by    the    defendant
12                  substantially  contemporaneously  with physical
13                  injuries caused by  one  or  more  persons  for
14                  whose   conduct   the   defendant   is  legally
15                  accountable under Section 5-2 of this Code, and
16                  the physical injuries inflicted by  either  the
17                  defendant  or  the  other person or persons for
18                  whose conduct he is legally accountable  caused
19                  the death of the murdered individual; and
20                  (b)  in  performing  the  acts which caused the
21             death of the murdered individual or  which  resulted
22             in  physical  injuries  personally  inflicted by the
23             defendant  on  the  murdered  individual  under  the
24             circumstances of subdivision  (ii)  of  subparagraph
25             (a)  of  paragraph  (6)  of  subsection  (b) of this
26             Section, the defendant acted with the intent to kill
27             the murdered individual or with the  knowledge  that
28             his  acts  created  a strong probability of death or
29             great bodily harm  to  the  murdered  individual  or
30             another; and
31                  (c)  the other felony was one of the following:
32             armed  robbery,  armed  violence, robbery, predatory
33             criminal  sexual  assault  of  a  child,  aggravated
34             criminal  sexual  assault,  aggravated   kidnapping,
 
                            -4-                LRB9100422RCpc
 1             aggravated  vehicular hijacking, forcible detention,
 2             arson,  aggravated   arson,   aggravated   stalking,
 3             burglary,   residential   burglary,  home  invasion,
 4             calculated criminal drug conspiracy  as  defined  in
 5             Section  405  of  the Illinois Controlled Substances
 6             Act, streetgang criminal drug conspiracy as  defined
 7             in   Section   405.2   of  the  Illinois  Controlled
 8             Substances Act, or the attempt to commit any of  the
 9             felonies listed in this subsection (c); or
10             (7)  the  murdered  individual was under 12 years of
11        age and the death resulted from exceptionally  brutal  or
12        heinous behavior indicative of wanton cruelty; or
13             (8)  the  defendant committed the murder with intent
14        to prevent the murdered individual from testifying in any
15        criminal prosecution or giving material assistance to the
16        State in any investigation or prosecution, either against
17        the defendant or another; or the defendant committed  the
18        murder  because  the murdered individual was a witness in
19        any prosecution or gave material assistance to the  State
20        in  any  investigation or prosecution, either against the
21        defendant or another; or
22             (9)  the  defendant,  while  committing  an  offense
23        punishable under Sections 401, 401.1, 401.2, 405,  405.2,
24        407  or  407.1  or  subsection  (b) of Section 404 of the
25        Illinois Controlled Substances Act, or while engaged in a
26        conspiracy  or  solicitation  to  commit  such   offense,
27        intentionally   killed   an   individual   or  counseled,
28        commanded, induced, procured or  caused  the  intentional
29        killing of the murdered individual; or
30             (10)  the   defendant   was   incarcerated   in   an
31        institution  or facility of the Department of Corrections
32        at the time  of  the  murder,  and  while  committing  an
33        offense  punishable  as  a  felony under Illinois law, or
34        while engaged in a conspiracy or solicitation  to  commit
 
                            -5-                LRB9100422RCpc
 1        such  offense,  intentionally  killed  an  individual  or
 2        counseled,  commanded,  induced,  procured  or caused the
 3        intentional killing of the murdered individual; or
 4             (11)  the murder was committed in a cold, calculated
 5        and premeditated manner pursuant to a preconceived  plan,
 6        scheme  or design to take a human life by unlawful means,
 7        and the conduct of the  defendant  created  a  reasonable
 8        expectation  that the death of a human being would result
 9        therefrom; or
10             (12)  the  murdered  individual  was  an   emergency
11        medical   technician   -   ambulance,  emergency  medical
12        technician - intermediate, emergency medical technician -
13        paramedic, ambulance driver, or other medical  assistance
14        or  first  aid  personnel,  employed by a municipality or
15        other  governmental  unit,  killed  in  the   course   of
16        performing   his   official   duties,   to   prevent  the
17        performance of his official duties, or in retaliation for
18        performing his official duties, and the defendant knew or
19        should have known that the  murdered  individual  was  an
20        emergency   medical  technician  -  ambulance,  emergency
21        medical  technician  -  intermediate,  emergency  medical
22        technician  -  paramedic,  ambulance  driver,  or   other
23        medical assistance or first aid personnel; or
24             (13)  the  defendant  was a principal administrator,
25        organizer,  or  leader  of  a  calculated  criminal  drug
26        conspiracy  consisting  of  a  hierarchical  position  of
27        authority superior to that of all other  members  of  the
28        conspiracy,   and  the  defendant  counseled,  commanded,
29        induced, procured, or caused the intentional  killing  of
30        the murdered person; or
31             (14)  the  murder  was  intentional and involved the
32        infliction of torture.  For the purpose of  this  Section
33        torture  means the infliction of or subjection to extreme
34        physical pain, motivated by  an  intent  to  increase  or
 
                            -6-                LRB9100422RCpc
 1        prolong the pain, suffering or agony of the victim; or
 2             (15)  the  murder  was  committed as a result of the
 3        intentional discharge of a firearm by the defendant  from
 4        a motor vehicle and the victim was not present within the
 5        motor vehicle; or
 6             (16)  the murdered individual was 60 years of age or
 7        older and the death resulted from exceptionally brutal or
 8        heinous behavior indicative of wanton cruelty; or
 9             (17)  the  murdered individual was a disabled person
10        and the defendant knew or  should  have  known  that  the
11        murdered  individual  was disabled.  For purposes of this
12        paragraph (17), "disabled  person"  means  a  person  who
13        suffers  from  a  permanent physical or mental impairment
14        resulting from disease, an injury, a functional disorder,
15        or  a  congenital  condition  that  renders  the   person
16        incapable  of  adequately  providing  for  his or her own
17        health or personal care; or
18             (18)  the murder was  committed  by  reason  of  any
19        person's activity as a community policing volunteer or to
20        prevent  any  person  from  engaging  in  activity  as  a
21        community policing volunteer; or .
22             (19) (18)  the murdered individual was subject to an
23        order  of  protection  and  the murder was committed by a
24        person against whom the  same  order  of  protection  was
25        issued under the Illinois Domestic Violence Act of 1986.
26        (c)  Consideration   of   factors   in   Aggravation  and
27    Mitigation.
28        The court shall consider, or shall instruct the  jury  to
29    consider any aggravating and any mitigating factors which are
30    relevant to the imposition of the death penalty.  Aggravating
31    factors  may include but need not be limited to those factors
32    set forth in subsection (b). Mitigating factors  may  include
33    but need not be limited to the following:
34             (1)  the  defendant  has  no  significant history of
 
                            -7-                LRB9100422RCpc
 1        prior criminal activity;
 2             (2)  the murder was committed  while  the  defendant
 3        was  under  the  influence of extreme mental or emotional
 4        disturbance, although not such as to constitute a defense
 5        to prosecution;
 6             (3)  the murdered individual was  a  participant  in
 7        the  defendant's  homicidal  conduct  or consented to the
 8        homicidal act;
 9             (4)  the defendant acted  under  the  compulsion  of
10        threat  or  menace of the imminent infliction of death or
11        great bodily harm;
12             (5)  the defendant was not personally present during
13        commission of the act or acts causing death.
14        (d)  Separate sentencing hearing.
15        Where requested by the State, the court shall  conduct  a
16    separate  sentencing proceeding to determine the existence of
17    factors set forth in  subsection  (b)  and  to  consider  any
18    aggravating  or mitigating factors as indicated in subsection
19    (c).  The proceeding shall be conducted:
20             (1)  before the jury that determined the defendant's
21        guilt; or
22             (2)  before a jury impanelled for the purpose of the
23        proceeding if:
24                  A.  the defendant was convicted upon a plea  of
25             guilty; or
26                  B.  the  defendant  was convicted after a trial
27             before the court sitting without a jury; or
28                  C.  the court for good cause  shown  discharges
29             the jury that determined the defendant's guilt; or
30             (3)  before  the court alone if the defendant waives
31        a jury for the separate proceeding.
32        (e)  Evidence and Argument.
33        During the proceeding any information relevant to any  of
34    the  factors  set forth in subsection (b) may be presented by
 
                            -8-                LRB9100422RCpc
 1    either the State or the defendant under the  rules  governing
 2    the   admission   of   evidence   at  criminal  trials.   Any
 3    information relevant to any additional aggravating factors or
 4    any mitigating factors indicated in  subsection  (c)  may  be
 5    presented  by  the  State  or  defendant  regardless  of  its
 6    admissibility  under  the  rules  governing  the admission of
 7    evidence at criminal trials.  The  State  and  the  defendant
 8    shall  be  given  fair  opportunity  to rebut any information
 9    received at the hearing.
10        (f)  Proof.
11        The burden of proof of establishing the existence of  any
12    of  the  factors  set forth in subsection (b) is on the State
13    and shall  not  be  satisfied  unless  established  beyond  a
14    reasonable doubt.
15        (g)  Procedure - Jury.
16        If  at  the separate sentencing proceeding the jury finds
17    that none of the factors set forth in subsection (b)  exists,
18    the   court  shall  sentence  the  defendant  to  a  term  of
19    imprisonment  under  Chapter  V  of  the  Unified   Code   of
20    Corrections.   If  there  is  a unanimous finding by the jury
21    that one or more of the factors set forth in  subsection  (b)
22    exist,  the  jury  shall  consider aggravating and mitigating
23    factors as  instructed  by  the  court  and  shall  determine
24    whether  the sentence of death shall be imposed.  If the jury
25    determines unanimously that there are no  mitigating  factors
26    sufficient  to preclude the imposition of the death sentence,
27    the court shall sentence the defendant to death.
28        Unless the jury  unanimously  finds  that  there  are  no
29    mitigating  factors  sufficient to preclude the imposition of
30    the death sentence the court shall sentence the defendant  to
31    a term of imprisonment under Chapter V of the Unified Code of
32    Corrections.
33        (h)  Procedure - No Jury.
34        In  a  proceeding  before  the  court alone, if the court
 
                            -9-                LRB9100422RCpc
 1    finds that none  of  the  factors  found  in  subsection  (b)
 2    exists,  the  court shall sentence the defendant to a term of
 3    imprisonment  under  Chapter  V  of   the  Unified  Code   of
 4    Corrections.
 5        If  the  Court determines that one or more of the factors
 6    set forth in subsection (b) exists, the Court shall  consider
 7    any  aggravating  and  mitigating  factors  as  indicated  in
 8    subsection  (c).   If  the Court determines that there are no
 9    mitigating factors sufficient to preclude the  imposition  of
10    the death sentence, the Court shall sentence the defendant to
11    death.
12        Unless  the  court  finds  that  there  are no mitigating
13    factors sufficient to preclude the imposition of the sentence
14    of death, the court shall sentence the defendant to a term of
15    imprisonment  under  Chapter  V  of  the  Unified   Code   of
16    Corrections.
17        (i)  Appellate Procedure.
18        The  conviction and sentence of death shall be subject to
19    automatic review by the Supreme Court.  Such review shall  be
20    in accordance with rules promulgated by the Supreme Court.
21        (j)  Disposition of reversed death sentence.
22        In  the  event that the death penalty in this Act is held
23    to be unconstitutional by the Supreme  Court  of  the  United
24    States  or  of the State of Illinois, any person convicted of
25    first degree murder shall be sentenced by the court to a term
26    of imprisonment under  Chapter  V  of  the  Unified  Code  of
27    Corrections.
28        In  the  event  that  any  death sentence pursuant to the
29    sentencing   provisions   of   this   Section   is   declared
30    unconstitutional by the Supreme Court of the United States or
31    of the State of Illinois, the court having jurisdiction  over
32    a  person  previously  sentenced  to  death  shall  cause the
33    defendant to be brought before the court, and the court shall
34    sentence the  defendant  to  a  term  of  imprisonment  under
 
                            -10-               LRB9100422RCpc
 1    Chapter V of the Unified Code of Corrections.
 2        (k)  Temporary suspension of death penalty.
 3        No execution of a defendant may take place for  6  months
 4    from the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1999.
 5        A commission on the death penalty is created to study the
 6    law   that   provides   for   the   death   penalty  and  the
 7    administration of the death  penalty.  The  commission  shall
 8    make  recommendations for amendments to the death penalty law
 9    to provide assurances that defendants who  are  sentenced  to
10    death  are  in  fact  guilty  of  first  degree  murder.  The
11    commission  shall  report  to  the  General Assembly within 4
12    months from the effective date  of  this  amendatory  Act  of
13    1999.
14        The  commission  shall consist of 8 members as follows: 2
15    members  appointed  by  the   Speaker   of   the   House   of
16    Representatives,  2  members appointed by the Minority Leader
17    of the House of Representatives, 2 members appointed  by  the
18    President  of  the  Senate,  and  2  members appointed by the
19    Minority Leader of the Senate.
20    (Source: P.A. 89-235, eff.  8-4-95;  89-428,  eff.  12-13-95;
21    89-462,  eff.  5-29-96;  89-498,  eff.  6-27-96; 90-213, eff.
22    1-1-98; 90-651, eff. 1-1-99;  90-668,  eff.  1-1-99;  revised
23    9-16-98.)

24        Section  99.  Effective date.  This Act takes effect upon
25    becoming law.

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