Opinion ID: 836572
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: amends constitution

Text: PREAMBLE: This initiative is designed to preserve and protect crime victims' rights to justice and due process and to ensure the prosecution and conviction of persons who have committed criminal acts. It shall be interpreted to accomplish these ends. This section is added to Article I of the Oregon Constitution: (1) To ensure crime victims a meaningful role in the criminal and juvenile justice system, to accord them due dignity and respect, and to ensure that persons who violate laws for the punishment of crime are apprehended, convicted and punished, the following rights are hereby granted to victims in all prosecutions for crimes and juvenile delinquency proceedings: (a) The right to be reasonably protected from the criminal defendant or the convicted criminal throughout the criminal justice process; decisions as to the pretrial release of the defendant are to be based on the principle of reasonable protection of the victim and the public; any person arrested for a crime for which the People have set a mandatory minimum sentence shall not be released prior to trial unless a court determines by clear and convincing evidence that the person will not commit new criminal offenses while on release; (b) The right to be present at, to be heard at, and, upon specific request, to be informed in advance of any critical stage of the proceedings where the criminal defendant is present, including trial; (c) The right, upon request, to information about the conviction, sentence, imprisonment, criminal history and future release from physical custody of the criminal defendant or convicted criminal; (d) The right to refuse an interview, deposition or other discovery request by the defendant, the defendant's attorney, or other person acting on behalf of the defendant; (e) The right to receive prompt restitution from the person or persons convicted of the criminal conduct that caused the victim's loss or injury. (f) The right to have all relevant evidence admissible against the criminal defendant; (g) The right, in a criminal prosecution, to a public trial without delay by a jury selected from registered voters and composed of persons who have not been convicted of a felony or served a felony sentence within the last 15 years, except that no court shall hold that a jury is required in juvenile court delinquency proceedings. (h) The right to have eleven members of the jury render a verdict of guilty of aggravated murder or murder, notwithstanding any other law or provision of this Constitution; (i) The right to have a copy of a transcript of any court proceeding, if one is otherwise prepared; (j) The right that no law shall permit a sentence imposed by a judge in open court to be set aside or otherwise not carried out except through the reprieve, commutation, and pardon power of the governor or pursuant to appellate or post-conviction relief; (k) The right that no law shall limit the court's authority to sentence a criminal defendant consecutively for crimes against different victims; ( l ) The right to have all charges against a criminal defendant tried in a single trial; subject to rules regarding venue; (m) The right to be consulted, upon request, regarding plea negotiations involving any violent felony; and (n) The right to be informed of these rights as soon as reasonably practicable. (2) The rights conferred on victims by this section shall be limited only to the extent required by the United States Constitution; Section 9, Article I and Section 12, Article I of this Constitution shall not be construed more broadly than the United States Constitution and in criminal cases involving a victim, the validity of prior convictions shall not be litigated except to the extent required by the United States Constitution. (3) This section shall not reduce a criminal defendant's rights under the United States Constitution, reduce any existing right of the press, or affect any existing statutory rule relating to privilege or hearsay. (4) As to the decision to initiate criminal or juvenile proceedings and as to the conduct and prosection of such proceedings, it is the district attorney who is authorized to assert the rights conferred on victims by this section. (5) `Victim' means persons who have suffered financial, social, psychological or physical harm as a result of a crime or juvenile offense, and includes, in the case of a homicide, a member of the immediate family of the decedent, and, in the case of a minor victim, the legal guardian of the minor. In no event shall the criminal defendant be considered a victim. In criminal cases not involving a victim, the people of the State of Oregon, represented by the State of Oregon, shall have the same rights conferred by this section on victims. (6) `Relevant evidence' means evidence having any tendency to prove the charge against the criminal defendant or establish the proper sentence for the criminal defendant. (7) In criminal cases prosecuted by a municipality,`district attorney' as used in this section includes the city attorney. (8) `Criminal defendant' includes juvenile offenders in juvenile court delinquency proceedings. (9) This section creates no new civil liabilities. (Boldface in original.)