Source: http://www.wvlegislature.gov/bill_status/bills_text.cfm?billdoc=hb2104%20intr.htm&yr=2008&sesstype=RS&i=2104
Timestamp: 2018-02-22 02:43:18
Document Index: 749655272

Matched Legal Cases: ['§61', '§61', '§61', '§61', '§61', '§61']

A BILL to amend and reenact §61-11A-2, §61-11A-3 and §61-11A-6 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, all relating to ensuring victims' rights to testify at sentencing in criminal cases.
That §61-11A-2, §61-11A-3 and §61-11A-6 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended and reenacted, all to read as follows:
(b) Prior to the imposition of sentence upon any defendant who has been found guilty of a felony or has pleaded guilty or nolo contendere to any felony, the court shall permit the victim of the crime to appear before the court for the purpose of making an oral statement for the record if the victim notifies the court of his or her desire to make such a statement after receiving the notification provided in subsection (c) of this section. If the victim is not present at the time set for sentencing, or fails to so notify the court, and has not submitted any written statement as hereafter provided, the court shall ascertain on the record as to whether the victim has been given the notice required by subsection (c) of this section. If no meaningful notice has been given to the victim, the court shall postpone sentencing to allow such notice to be given. Otherwise, the victim's failure to appear or to fails to so notify the court such failure shall constitute a waiver of the right to make an oral statement. In lieu of such appearance and oral statement, the victim may submit a written statement to the court or to the probation officer in charge of the case. Such probation officer shall forthwith file any such statement delivered to his or her office with the sentencing court, and the statement shall be made a part of the record at the sentencing hearing. Any such statement, whether oral or written, shall relate solely to the facts of the case and the extent of any injuries, financial losses and loss of earnings directly resulting from the crime for which the defendant is being sentenced.
(c) Within a reasonable time, prior to the imposition of sentence upon such defendant, the prosecuting attorney or assistant prosecuting attorney in charge of the case shall in writing advise the person who was the victim of such crime or in the case of a minor, the parent or guardian of such minor, or the fiduciary of his or her estate, if he or she be then deceased, of the date, time and place of the original sentencing hearing, and of the victim's rights to submit a written or oral statement to the sentencing court as hereinabove provided. A copy of the written notice shall be filed with the court together with a description of the manner by which it was transmitted to the victim.
(f) The court shall not impose a sentence without first ascertaining, on the record, that this section has been complied with.
(a) No later than the first day of July, one thousand nine hundred eighty-four, the Attorney General shall promulgate rules and regulations in accordance with the provisions of chapter twenty-nine-a of this code, establishing guidelines for law-enforcement agencies and prosecuting attorneys' offices consistent with the purposes of this article. The Attorney General shall seek the advice of the department of public safety State Police and Department of Health and Human Services Resources in preparing such rules and regulations. In preparing such rules, and regulations, the following objectives shall be considered:
(4) Victims, witnesses, and one member of the immediate family of those victims and witnesses should, if such persons provide the appropriate official with a current address and telephone number, receive prompt advance notification, if possible, of judicial proceedings relating to their case, from the prosecuting attorney's office, including:
(D) Proceedings in the prosecution of the accused (including the entry of a plea of guilty, trial, sentencing, and, where a term of imprisonment is imposed, the release of the accused from such imprisonment).
(6) Victims and other prosecution witnesses should, if practical, be provided prior to court appearance, a waiting area that is separate from all other witnesses.
(7) Law-enforcement agencies should promptly return victim's property held for evidentiary purposes unless there is a compelling law-enforcement reason for retaining it.
(b) The court shall not impose a sentence without first ascertaining, on the record, that this section has been complied with.
(b) (c) Nothing in this section shall be construed as creating a cause of action against the State of West Virginia or any of its political subdivisions.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to ensure the rights of victims to testify at sentencing in criminal cases.