101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2019 and 2020
HB5631

 

Introduced , by Rep. Justin Slaughter

 

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

    Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that the offense of first degree murder for killing an individual without lawful justification during the attempted commission or commission of a forcible felony only applies when the death is caused by a person engaged as a principal or an accessory in the attempted commission or commission of the forcible felony.


LRB101 16515 RLC 65897 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB5631LRB101 16515 RLC 65897 b

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 2012 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 or she either intends to kill or do great bodily
14    harm to that individual or another, or knows that such acts
15    will cause death to that individual or another; or
16        (2) he or she knows that such acts create a strong
17    probability of death or great bodily harm to that
18    individual or another; or
19        (3) he or she is attempting or committing a forcible
20    felony other than second degree murder, and the death is
21    caused by a person engaged as a principal or an accessory
22    in the attempted commission or commission of that felony.
23    (b) Aggravating Factors. A defendant who at the time of the

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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1            the death of the murdered individual; and
2            (b) in performing the acts which caused the death
3        of the murdered individual or which resulted in
4        physical injuries personally inflicted by the
5        defendant on the murdered individual under the
6        circumstances of subdivision (ii) of subparagraph (a)
7        of paragraph (6) of subsection (b) of this Section, the
8        defendant acted with the intent to kill the murdered
9        individual or with the knowledge that his acts created
10        a strong probability of death or great bodily harm to
11        the murdered individual or another; and
12            (c) the other felony was an inherently violent
13        crime or the attempt to commit an inherently violent
14        crime. In this subparagraph (c), "inherently violent
15        crime" includes, but is not limited to, armed robbery,
16        robbery, predatory criminal sexual assault of a child,
17        aggravated criminal sexual assault, aggravated
18        kidnapping, aggravated vehicular hijacking, aggravated
19        arson, aggravated stalking, residential burglary, and
20        home invasion; or
21        (7) the murdered individual was under 12 years of age
22    and the death resulted from exceptionally brutal or heinous
23    behavior indicative of wanton cruelty; or
24        (8) the defendant committed the murder with intent to
25    prevent the murdered individual from testifying or
26    participating in any criminal investigation or prosecution

 

 

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1    or giving material assistance to the State in any
2    investigation or prosecution, either against the defendant
3    or another; or the defendant committed the murder because
4    the murdered individual was a witness in any prosecution or
5    gave material assistance to the State in any investigation
6    or prosecution, either against the defendant or another;
7    for purposes of this paragraph (8), "participating in any
8    criminal investigation or prosecution" is intended to
9    include those appearing in the proceedings in any capacity
10    such as trial judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys,
11    investigators, witnesses, or jurors; or
12        (9) the defendant, while committing an offense
13    punishable under Sections 401, 401.1, 401.2, 405, 405.2,
14    407 or 407.1 or subsection (b) of Section 404 of the
15    Illinois Controlled Substances Act, or while engaged in a
16    conspiracy or solicitation to commit such offense,
17    intentionally killed an individual or counseled,
18    commanded, induced, procured or caused the intentional
19    killing of the murdered individual; or
20        (10) the defendant was incarcerated in an institution
21    or facility of the Department of Corrections at the time of
22    the murder, and while committing an offense punishable as a
23    felony under Illinois law, or while engaged in a conspiracy
24    or solicitation to commit such offense, intentionally
25    killed an individual or counseled, commanded, induced,
26    procured or caused the intentional killing of the murdered

 

 

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1    individual; or
2        (11) the murder was committed in a cold, calculated and
3    premeditated manner pursuant to a preconceived plan,
4    scheme or design to take a human life by unlawful means,
5    and the conduct of the defendant created a reasonable
6    expectation that the death of a human being would result
7    therefrom; or
8        (12) the murdered individual was an emergency medical
9    technician - ambulance, emergency medical technician -
10    intermediate, emergency medical technician - paramedic,
11    ambulance driver, or other medical assistance or first aid
12    personnel, employed by a municipality or other
13    governmental unit, killed in the course of performing his
14    official duties, to prevent the performance of his official
15    duties, or in retaliation for performing his official
16    duties, and the defendant knew or should have known that
17    the murdered individual was an emergency medical
18    technician - ambulance, emergency medical technician -
19    intermediate, emergency medical technician - paramedic,
20    ambulance driver, or other medical assistance or first aid
21    personnel; or
22        (13) the defendant was a principal administrator,
23    organizer, or leader of a calculated criminal drug
24    conspiracy consisting of a hierarchical position of
25    authority superior to that of all other members of the
26    conspiracy, and the defendant counseled, commanded,

 

 

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1    induced, procured, or caused the intentional killing of the
2    murdered person; or
3        (14) the murder was intentional and involved the
4    infliction of torture. For the purpose of this Section
5    torture means the infliction of or subjection to extreme
6    physical pain, motivated by an intent to increase or
7    prolong the pain, suffering or agony of the victim; or
8        (15) the murder was committed as a result of the
9    intentional discharge of a firearm by the defendant from a
10    motor vehicle and the victim was not present within the
11    motor vehicle; or
12        (16) the murdered individual was 60 years of age or
13    older and the death resulted from exceptionally brutal or
14    heinous behavior indicative of wanton cruelty; or
15        (17) the murdered individual was a person with a
16    disability and the defendant knew or should have known that
17    the murdered individual was a person with a disability. For
18    purposes of this paragraph (17), "person with a disability"
19    means a person who suffers from a permanent physical or
20    mental impairment resulting from disease, an injury, a
21    functional disorder, or a congenital condition that
22    renders the person incapable of adequately providing for
23    his or her own health or personal care; or
24        (18) the murder was committed by reason of any person's
25    activity as a community policing volunteer or to prevent
26    any person from engaging in activity as a community

 

 

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1    policing volunteer; or
2        (19) the murdered individual was subject to an order of
3    protection and the murder was committed by a person against
4    whom the same order of protection was issued under the
5    Illinois Domestic Violence Act of 1986; or
6        (20) the murdered individual was known by the defendant
7    to be a teacher or other person employed in any school and
8    the teacher or other employee is upon the grounds of a
9    school or grounds adjacent to a school, or is in any part
10    of a building used for school purposes; or
11        (21) the murder was committed by the defendant in
12    connection with or as a result of the offense of terrorism
13    as defined in Section 29D-14.9 of this Code; or
14        (22) the murdered individual was a member of a
15    congregation engaged in prayer or other religious
16    activities at a church, synagogue, mosque, or other
17    building, structure, or place used for religious worship.
18    (b-5) Aggravating Factor; Natural Life Imprisonment. A
19defendant who has been found guilty of first degree murder and
20who at the time of the commission of the offense had attained
21the age of 18 years or more may be sentenced to natural life
22imprisonment if (i) the murdered individual was a physician,
23physician assistant, psychologist, nurse, or advanced practice
24registered nurse, (ii) the defendant knew or should have known
25that the murdered individual was a physician, physician
26assistant, psychologist, nurse, or advanced practice

 

 

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1registered nurse, and (iii) the murdered individual was killed
2in the course of acting in his or her capacity as a physician,
3physician assistant, psychologist, nurse, or advanced practice
4registered nurse, or to prevent him or her from acting in that
5capacity, or in retaliation for his or her acting in that
6capacity.
7    (c) Consideration of factors in Aggravation and
8Mitigation.
9    The court shall consider, or shall instruct the jury to
10consider any aggravating and any mitigating factors which are
11relevant to the imposition of the death penalty. Aggravating
12factors may include but need not be limited to those factors
13set forth in subsection (b). Mitigating factors may include but
14need not be limited to the following:
15        (1) the defendant has no significant history of prior
16    criminal activity;
17        (2) the murder was committed while the defendant was
18    under the influence of extreme mental or emotional
19    disturbance, although not such as to constitute a defense
20    to prosecution;
21        (3) the murdered individual was a participant in the
22    defendant's homicidal conduct or consented to the
23    homicidal act;
24        (4) the defendant acted under the compulsion of threat
25    or menace of the imminent infliction of death or great
26    bodily harm;

 

 

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1        (5) the defendant was not personally present during
2    commission of the act or acts causing death;
3        (6) the defendant's background includes a history of
4    extreme emotional or physical abuse;
5        (7) the defendant suffers from a reduced mental
6    capacity.
7    Provided, however, that an action that does not otherwise
8mitigate first degree murder cannot qualify as a mitigating
9factor for first degree murder because of the discovery,
10knowledge, or disclosure of the victim's sexual orientation as
11defined in Section 1-103 of the Illinois Human Rights Act.
12    (d) Separate sentencing hearing.
13    Where requested by the State, the court shall conduct a
14separate sentencing proceeding to determine the existence of
15factors set forth in subsection (b) and to consider any
16aggravating or mitigating factors as indicated in subsection
17(c). The proceeding shall be conducted:
18        (1) before the jury that determined the defendant's
19    guilt; or
20        (2) before a jury impanelled for the purpose of the
21    proceeding if:
22            A. the defendant was convicted upon a plea of
23        guilty; or
24            B. the defendant was convicted after a trial before
25        the court sitting without a jury; or
26            C. the court for good cause shown discharges the

 

 

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1        jury that determined the defendant's guilt; or
2        (3) before the court alone if the defendant waives a
3    jury for the separate proceeding.
4    (e) Evidence and Argument.
5    During the proceeding any information relevant to any of
6the factors set forth in subsection (b) may be presented by
7either the State or the defendant under the rules governing the
8admission of evidence at criminal trials. Any information
9relevant to any additional aggravating factors or any
10mitigating factors indicated in subsection (c) may be presented
11by the State or defendant regardless of its admissibility under
12the rules governing the admission of evidence at criminal
13trials. The State and the defendant shall be given fair
14opportunity to rebut any information received at the hearing.
15    (f) Proof.
16    The burden of proof of establishing the existence of any of
17the factors set forth in subsection (b) is on the State and
18shall not be satisfied unless established beyond a reasonable
19doubt.
20    (g) Procedure - Jury.
21    If at the separate sentencing proceeding the jury finds
22that none of the factors set forth in subsection (b) exists,
23the court shall sentence the defendant to a term of
24imprisonment under Chapter V of the Unified Code of
25Corrections. If there is a unanimous finding by the jury that
26one or more of the factors set forth in subsection (b) exist,

 

 

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1the jury shall consider aggravating and mitigating factors as
2instructed by the court and shall determine whether the
3sentence of death shall be imposed. If the jury determines
4unanimously, after weighing the factors in aggravation and
5mitigation, that death is the appropriate sentence, the court
6shall sentence the defendant to death. If the court does not
7concur with the jury determination that death is the
8appropriate sentence, the court shall set forth reasons in
9writing including what facts or circumstances the court relied
10upon, along with any relevant documents, that compelled the
11court to non-concur with the sentence. This document and any
12attachments shall be part of the record for appellate review.
13The court shall be bound by the jury's sentencing
14determination.
15    If after weighing the factors in aggravation and
16mitigation, one or more jurors determines that death is not the
17appropriate sentence, the court shall sentence the defendant to
18a term of imprisonment under Chapter V of the Unified Code of
19Corrections.
20    (h) Procedure - No Jury.
21    In a proceeding before the court alone, if the court finds
22that none of the factors found in subsection (b) exists, the
23court shall sentence the defendant to a term of imprisonment
24under Chapter V of the Unified Code of Corrections.
25    If the Court determines that one or more of the factors set
26forth in subsection (b) exists, the Court shall consider any

 

 

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1aggravating and mitigating factors as indicated in subsection
2(c). If the Court determines, after weighing the factors in
3aggravation and mitigation, that death is the appropriate
4sentence, the Court shall sentence the defendant to death.
5    If the court finds that death is not the appropriate
6sentence, the court shall sentence the defendant to a term of
7imprisonment under Chapter V of the Unified Code of
8Corrections.
9    (h-5) Decertification as a capital case.
10    In a case in which the defendant has been found guilty of
11first degree murder by a judge or jury, or a case on remand for
12resentencing, and the State seeks the death penalty as an
13appropriate sentence, on the court's own motion or the written
14motion of the defendant, the court may decertify the case as a
15death penalty case if the court finds that the only evidence
16supporting the defendant's conviction is the uncorroborated
17testimony of an informant witness, as defined in Section 115-21
18of the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963, concerning the
19confession or admission of the defendant or that the sole
20evidence against the defendant is a single eyewitness or single
21accomplice without any other corroborating evidence. If the
22court decertifies the case as a capital case under either of
23the grounds set forth above, the court shall issue a written
24finding. The State may pursue its right to appeal the
25decertification pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 604(a)(1). If
26the court does not decertify the case as a capital case, the

 

 

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1matter shall proceed to the eligibility phase of the sentencing
2hearing.
3    (i) Appellate Procedure.
4    The conviction and sentence of death shall be subject to
5automatic review by the Supreme Court. Such review shall be in
6accordance with rules promulgated by the Supreme Court. The
7Illinois Supreme Court may overturn the death sentence, and
8order the imposition of imprisonment under Chapter V of the
9Unified Code of Corrections if the court finds that the death
10sentence is fundamentally unjust as applied to the particular
11case. If the Illinois Supreme Court finds that the death
12sentence is fundamentally unjust as applied to the particular
13case, independent of any procedural grounds for relief, the
14Illinois Supreme Court shall issue a written opinion explaining
15this finding.
16    (j) Disposition of reversed death sentence.
17    In the event that the death penalty in this Act is held to
18be unconstitutional by the Supreme Court of the United States
19or of the State of Illinois, any person convicted of first
20degree murder shall be sentenced by the court to a term of
21imprisonment under Chapter V of the Unified Code of
22Corrections.
23    In the event that any death sentence pursuant to the
24sentencing provisions of this Section is declared
25unconstitutional by the Supreme Court of the United States or
26of the State of Illinois, the court having jurisdiction over a

 

 

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1person previously sentenced to death shall cause the defendant
2to be brought before the court, and the court shall sentence
3the defendant to a term of imprisonment under Chapter V of the
4Unified Code of Corrections.
5    (k) Guidelines for seeking the death penalty.
6    The Attorney General and State's Attorneys Association
7shall consult on voluntary guidelines for procedures governing
8whether or not to seek the death penalty. The guidelines do not
9have the force of law and are only advisory in nature.
10(Source: P.A. 100-460, eff. 1-1-18; 100-513, eff. 1-1-18;
11100-863, eff. 8-14-18; 101-223, eff. 1-1-20.)