Source: http://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?171+ful+HB1522
Timestamp: 2018-01-24 04:03:51
Document Index: 294838045

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 19', '§ 19', '§ 19', '§ 19', '§ 19', '§ 19', '§ 19', '§ 19', '§ 19', '§ 19', '§ 19', '§ 19', '§ 19', '§ 30', '§ 30']

17101626D
HOUSE BILL NO. 1522 Offered January 11, 2017 Prefiled December 22, 2016 A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 19.2-264.3:1.3, 19.2-264.3:3, and 19.2-264.4 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding sections numbered 19.2-264.3:1.4 and 19.2-264.3:1.5, relating to death penalty; severe mental illness. ---------- Patron-- Leftwich ---------- Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice ----------
A. As used in this section and § 19.2-264.3:1.5:
"Active psychotic symptoms" means delusions, hallucinations, the inability to distinguish fact from fantasy, or grossly disorganized or irrational thinking.
"Severe mental illness" means a mental disorder manifested by active psychotic symptoms that substantially impair a person's capacity to (i) appreciate the nature, consequences, or wrongfulness of the person's conduct; (ii) exercise rational judgment in relation to the person's conduct; or (iii) conform the person's conduct to the requirements of the law. "Severe mental illness" does not include a mental disorder attributable to the acute effects of voluntary use of alcohol or any drug.
1. "We the jury, on the issue joined, having found the defendant guilty of (here set out the statutory language of the offense charged), and that the defendant has proven by a preponderance of the evidence that he had a severe mental illness at the time of the offense, fix his punishment at (i) imprisonment for life or (ii) imprisonment for life and a fine of $_____.
No statement or disclosure by the defendant made during a competency evaluation performed pursuant to § 19.2-169.1, an evaluation performed pursuant to § 19.2-169.5 to determine sanity at the time of the offense, treatment provided pursuant to § 19.2-169.2 or § 19.2-169.6, a mental condition evaluation performed pursuant to § 19.2-264.3:1 or, a mental retardation evaluation performed pursuant to § 19.2-264.3:1.2, or an evaluation to determine whether the defendant had a severe mental illness at the time of the offense pursuant to § 19.2-264.3:1.5, and no evidence derived from any such statements or disclosures, may be introduced against the defendant at the sentencing phase of a capital murder trial for the purpose of proving the aggravating circumstances specified in § 19.2-264.4. Such statements or disclosures shall be admissible in rebuttal only when relevant to issues in mitigation raised by the defense.
Evidence which may be admissible, subject to the rules of evidence governing admissibility, may include the circumstances surrounding the offense, the history and background of the defendant, and any other facts in mitigation of the offense. Facts in mitigation may include, but shall not be limited to, the following: (i) the defendant has no significant history of prior criminal activity,; (ii) even if § 19.2-264.3:1.4 is inapplicable as a bar to the death penalty, the capital felony was committed while the defendant was under the influence of extreme mental or emotional disturbance,; (iii) the victim was a participant in the defendant's conduct or consented to the act,; (iv) at the time of the commission of the capital felony even if § 19.2-264.3:1.4 is inapplicable as a bar to the death penalty, the capacity of the defendant to appreciate the criminality of his conduct or to conform his conduct to the requirements of law was significantly impaired, at the time of the commission of the capital felony; (v) the age of the defendant at the time of the commission of the capital offense,; or (vi) even if § 19.2-264.3:1.1 is inapplicable as a bar to the death penalty, the subaverage intellectual functioning of the defendant.
D. In the event that the jury cannot agree as to the penalty, the court shall dismiss the jury, and impose a sentence of imprisonment for life.
2. That the provisions of this act may result in a net increase in periods of imprisonment or commitment. Pursuant to § 30-19.1:4, the estimated amount of the necessary appropriation cannot be determined for periods of imprisonment in state adult correctional facilities; therefore, Chapter 780 of the Acts of Assembly of 2016 requires the Virginia Criminal Sentencing Commission to assign a minimum fiscal impact of $50,000. Pursuant to § 30-19.1:4, the estimated amount of the necessary appropriation is $0 for periods of commitment to the custody of the Department of Juvenile Justice.