State of Illinois
90th General Assembly
Legislation

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[ Introduced ][ Enrolled ][ Senate Amendment 001 ]

90_HB1315eng

      720 ILCS 5/9-1            from Ch. 38, par. 9-1
          Amends  the  Criminal  Code  of  1961  relating  to   the
      imposition  of  the  death  penalty  for first degree murder.
      Provides that the killing of an individual who  is  a  senior
      citizen (60 years of age or older) or a disabled person is an
      aggravating  factor  for  which  the  death  penalty  may  be
      imposed.
                                                     LRB9003722RCks
HB1315 Engrossed                               LRB9003722RCks
 1        AN  ACT  to  amend  the Criminal Code of 1961 by changing
 2    Section 9-1.
 3        Be it enacted by the People of  the  State  of  Illinois,
 4    represented in the General Assembly:
 5        Section  5.   The  Criminal  Code  of  1961 is amended by
 6    changing Section 9-1 as follows:
 7        (720 ILCS 5/9-1) (from Ch. 38, par. 9-1)
 8        Sec.  9-1.  First  degree  Murder  -  Death  penalties  -
 9    Exceptions - Separate Hearings - Proof - Findings - Appellate
10    procedures - Reversals.
11        (a)  A person who  kills  an  individual  without  lawful
12    justification  commits  first degree murder if, in performing
13    the acts which cause the death:
14             (1)  he either intends to kill or  do  great  bodily
15        harm  to  that  individual or another, or knows that such
16        acts will cause death to that individual or another; or
17             (2)  he  knows  that  such  acts  create  a   strong
18        probability  of  death  or  great  bodily  harm  to  that
19        individual or another; or
20             (3)  he  is  attempting  or  committing  a  forcible
21        felony other than second degree murder.
22        (b)  Aggravating Factors.  A defendant who at the time of
23    the  commission  of the offense has attained the age of 18 or
24    more and who has been found guilty of first degree murder may
25    be sentenced to death if:
26             (1)  the murdered individual was a peace officer  or
27        fireman  killed  in the course of performing his official
28        duties,  to  prevent  the  performance  of  his  official
29        duties, or in retaliation  for  performing  his  official
30        duties,  and the defendant knew or should have known that
31        the murdered individual was a peace officer  or  fireman;
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 1        or
 2             (2)  the  murdered  individual was an employee of an
 3        institution or facility of the Department of Corrections,
 4        or any similar local correctional agency, killed  in  the
 5        course  of performing his official duties, to prevent the
 6        performance of his official duties, or in retaliation for
 7        performing  his  official   duties,   or   the   murdered
 8        individual  was an inmate at such institution or facility
 9        and was killed on the grounds thereof,  or  the  murdered
10        individual  was  otherwise present in such institution or
11        facility with the knowledge and  approval  of  the  chief
12        administrative officer thereof; or
13             (3)  the  defendant  has been convicted of murdering
14        two or more individuals  under  subsection  (a)  of  this
15        Section  or  under any law of the United States or of any
16        state which is substantially similar to subsection (a) of
17        this Section regardless  of whether the  deaths  occurred
18        as  the  result  of the same act or of several related or
19        unrelated acts so long as the deaths were the  result  of
20        either  an  intent  to  kill  more  than one person or of
21        separate acts which the defendant knew would cause  death
22        or  create  a strong probability of death or great bodily
23        harm to the murdered individual or another; or
24             (4)  the murdered individual was killed as a  result
25        of  the  hijacking  of  an  airplane, train, ship, bus or
26        other public conveyance; or
27             (5)  the defendant committed the murder pursuant  to
28        a contract, agreement or understanding by which he was to
29        receive   money  or  anything  of  value  in  return  for
30        committing the murder or procured another to  commit  the
31        murder for money or anything of value; or
32             (6)  the  murdered  individual  was  killed  in  the
33        course of another felony if:
34                  (a)  the murdered individual:
HB1315 Engrossed            -3-                LRB9003722RCks
 1                       (i)  was actually killed by the defendant,
 2                  or
 3                       (ii)  received      physical      injuries
 4                  personally    inflicted    by   the   defendant
 5                  substantially contemporaneously  with  physical
 6                  injuries  caused  by  one  or  more persons for
 7                  whose  conduct   the   defendant   is   legally
 8                  accountable under Section 5-2 of this Code, and
 9                  the  physical  injuries inflicted by either the
10                  defendant or the other person  or  persons  for
11                  whose  conduct he is legally accountable caused
12                  the death of the murdered individual; and
13                  (b)  in performing the acts  which  caused  the
14             death  of  the murdered individual or which resulted
15             in physical injuries  personally  inflicted  by  the
16             defendant  on  the  murdered  individual  under  the
17             circumstances  of  subdivision  (ii) of subparagraph
18             (a) of paragraph  (6)  of  subsection  (b)  of  this
19             Section, the defendant acted with the intent to kill
20             the  murdered  individual or with the knowledge that
21             his acts created a strong probability  of  death  or
22             great  bodily  harm  to  the  murdered individual or
23             another; and
24                  (c)  the other felony was one of the following:
25             armed robbery, armed  violence,  robbery,  predatory
26             criminal  sexual  assault  of  a  child,  aggravated
27             criminal   sexual  assault,  aggravated  kidnapping,
28             aggravated vehicular hijacking, forcible  detention,
29             arson,   aggravated   arson,   aggravated  stalking,
30             burglary,  residential  burglary,   home   invasion,
31             calculated  criminal  drug  conspiracy as defined in
32             Section 405 of the  Illinois  Controlled  Substances
33             Act,  streetgang criminal drug conspiracy as defined
34             in  Section  405.2  of   the   Illinois   Controlled
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 1             Substances  Act, or the attempt to commit any of the
 2             felonies listed in this subsection (c); or
 3             (7)  the murdered individual was under 12  years  of
 4        age  and  the death resulted from exceptionally brutal or
 5        heinous behavior indicative of wanton cruelty; or
 6             (8)  the defendant committed the murder with  intent
 7        to prevent the murdered individual from testifying in any
 8        criminal prosecution or giving material assistance to the
 9        State in any investigation or prosecution, either against
10        the  defendant or another; or the defendant committed the
11        murder because the murdered individual was a  witness  in
12        any  prosecution or gave material assistance to the State
13        in any investigation or prosecution, either  against  the
14        defendant or another; or
15             (9)  the  defendant,  while  committing  an  offense
16        punishable  under Sections 401, 401.1, 401.2, 405, 405.2,
17        407 or 407.1 or subsection (b)  of  Section  404  of  the
18        Illinois Controlled Substances Act, or while engaged in a
19        conspiracy   or  solicitation  to  commit  such  offense,
20        intentionally  killed   an   individual   or   counseled,
21        commanded,  induced,  procured  or caused the intentional
22        killing of the murdered individual; or
23             (10)  the   defendant   was   incarcerated   in   an
24        institution or facility of the Department of  Corrections
25        at  the  time  of  the  murder,  and  while committing an
26        offense punishable as a felony  under  Illinois  law,  or
27        while  engaged  in a conspiracy or solicitation to commit
28        such  offense,  intentionally  killed  an  individual  or
29        counseled, commanded, induced,  procured  or  caused  the
30        intentional killing of the murdered individual; or
31             (11)  the murder was committed in a cold, calculated
32        and  premeditated manner pursuant to a preconceived plan,
33        scheme or design to take a human life by unlawful  means,
34        and  the  conduct  of  the defendant created a reasonable
HB1315 Engrossed            -5-                LRB9003722RCks
 1        expectation that the death of a human being would  result
 2        therefrom; or
 3             (12)  the   murdered  individual  was  an  emergency
 4        medical  technician  -   ambulance,   emergency   medical
 5        technician - intermediate, emergency medical technician -
 6        paramedic,  ambulance driver, or other medical assistance
 7        or first aid personnel, employed  by  a  municipality  or
 8        other   governmental   unit,  killed  in  the  course  of
 9        performing  his   official   duties,   to   prevent   the
10        performance of his official duties, or in retaliation for
11        performing his official duties, and the defendant knew or
12        should  have  known  that  the murdered individual was an
13        emergency  medical  technician  -  ambulance,   emergency
14        medical  technician  -  intermediate,  emergency  medical
15        technician   -  paramedic,  ambulance  driver,  or  other
16        medical assistance or first aid personnel; or
17             (13)  the defendant was a  principal  administrator,
18        organizer,  or  leader  of  a  calculated  criminal  drug
19        conspiracy  consisting  of  a  hierarchical  position  of
20        authority  superior  to  that of all other members of the
21        conspiracy,  and  the  defendant  counseled,   commanded,
22        induced,  procured,  or caused the intentional killing of
23        the murdered person; or
24             (14)  the murder was intentional  and  involved  the
25        infliction  of  torture.  For the purpose of this Section
26        torture means the infliction of or subjection to  extreme
27        physical  pain,  motivated  by  an  intent to increase or
28        prolong the pain, suffering or agony of the victim; or
29             (15)  the murder was committed as a  result  of  the
30        intentional  discharge of a firearm by the defendant from
31        a motor vehicle and the victim was not present within the
32        motor vehicle; or
33             (16)  the murdered individual was a  senior  citizen
34        or a disabled person.  As used in this paragraph (16):
HB1315 Engrossed            -6-                LRB9003722RCks
 1                  (i)  "Disabled   person"  means  a  person  who
 2             suffers  from  a  permanent   physical   or   mental
 3             impairment,    resulting   from   disease,   injury,
 4             functional disorder, or  congenital  condition  that
 5             renders the person incapable of adequately providing
 6             for his or her own health and personal care.
 7                  (ii)  "Senior  citizen" means a person 60 years
 8             of age or older.
 9        (c)  Consideration  of   factors   in   Aggravation   and
10    Mitigation.
11        The  court  shall consider, or shall instruct the jury to
12    consider any aggravating and any mitigating factors which are
13    relevant to the imposition of the death penalty.  Aggravating
14    factors may include but need not be limited to those  factors
15    set  forth  in subsection (b). Mitigating factors may include
16    but need not be limited to the following:
17             (1)  the defendant has  no  significant  history  of
18        prior criminal activity;
19             (2)  the  murder  was  committed while the defendant
20        was under the influence of extreme  mental  or  emotional
21        disturbance, although not such as to constitute a defense
22        to prosecution;
23             (3)  the  murdered  individual  was a participant in
24        the defendant's homicidal conduct  or  consented  to  the
25        homicidal act;
26             (4)  the  defendant  acted  under  the compulsion of
27        threat or menace of the imminent infliction of  death  or
28        great bodily harm;
29             (5)  the defendant was not personally present during
30        commission of the act or acts causing death.
31        (d)  Separate sentencing hearing.
32        Where  requested  by the State, the court shall conduct a
33    separate sentencing proceeding to determine the existence  of
34    factors  set  forth  in  subsection  (b)  and to consider any
HB1315 Engrossed            -7-                LRB9003722RCks
 1    aggravating or mitigating factors as indicated in  subsection
 2    (c).  The proceeding shall be conducted:
 3             (1)  before the jury that determined the defendant's
 4        guilt; or
 5             (2)  before a jury impanelled for the purpose of the
 6        proceeding if:
 7                  A.  the  defendant was convicted upon a plea of
 8             guilty; or
 9                  B.  the defendant was convicted after  a  trial
10             before the court sitting without a jury; or
11                  C.  the  court  for good cause shown discharges
12             the jury that determined the defendant's guilt; or
13             (3)  before the court alone if the defendant  waives
14        a jury for the separate proceeding.
15        (e)  Evidence and Argument.
16        During  the proceeding any information relevant to any of
17    the factors set forth in subsection (b) may be  presented  by
18    either  the  State or the defendant under the rules governing
19    the  admission  of  evidence   at   criminal   trials.    Any
20    information relevant to any additional aggravating factors or
21    any  mitigating  factors  indicated  in subsection (c) may be
22    presented  by  the  State  or  defendant  regardless  of  its
23    admissibility under the  rules  governing  the  admission  of
24    evidence  at  criminal  trials.  The  State and the defendant
25    shall be given fair  opportunity  to  rebut  any  information
26    received at the hearing.
27        (f)  Proof.
28        The  burden of proof of establishing the existence of any
29    of the factors set forth in subsection (b) is  on  the  State
30    and  shall  not  be  satisfied  unless  established  beyond a
31    reasonable doubt.
32        (g)  Procedure - Jury.
33        If at the separate sentencing proceeding the  jury  finds
34    that  none of the factors set forth in subsection (b) exists,
HB1315 Engrossed            -8-                LRB9003722RCks
 1    the  court  shall  sentence  the  defendant  to  a  term   of
 2    imprisonment   under   Chapter  V  of  the  Unified  Code  of
 3    Corrections.  If there is a unanimous  finding  by  the  jury
 4    that  one  or more of the factors set forth in subsection (b)
 5    exist, the jury shall  consider  aggravating  and  mitigating
 6    factors  as  instructed  by  the  court  and  shall determine
 7    whether the sentence of death shall be imposed.  If the  jury
 8    determines  unanimously  that there are no mitigating factors
 9    sufficient to preclude the imposition of the death  sentence,
10    the court shall sentence the defendant to death.
11        Unless  the  jury  unanimously  finds  that  there are no
12    mitigating factors sufficient to preclude the  imposition  of
13    the  death sentence the court shall sentence the defendant to
14    a term of imprisonment under Chapter V of the Unified Code of
15    Corrections.
16        (h)  Procedure - No Jury.
17        In a proceeding before the  court  alone,  if  the  court
18    finds  that  none  of  the  factors  found  in subsection (b)
19    exists, the court shall sentence the defendant to a  term  of
20    imprisonment   under  Chapter  V  of   the  Unified  Code  of
21    Corrections.
22        If the Court determines that one or more of  the  factors
23    set  forth in subsection (b) exists, the Court shall consider
24    any  aggravating  and  mitigating  factors  as  indicated  in
25    subsection (c).  If the Court determines that  there  are  no
26    mitigating  factors  sufficient to preclude the imposition of
27    the death sentence, the Court shall sentence the defendant to
28    death.
29        Unless the court  finds  that  there  are  no  mitigating
30    factors sufficient to preclude the imposition of the sentence
31    of death, the court shall sentence the defendant to a term of
32    imprisonment   under   Chapter  V  of  the  Unified  Code  of
33    Corrections.
34        (i)  Appellate Procedure.
HB1315 Engrossed            -9-                LRB9003722RCks
 1        The conviction and sentence of death shall be subject  to
 2    automatic  review by the Supreme Court.  Such review shall be
 3    in accordance with rules promulgated by the Supreme Court.
 4        (j)  Disposition of reversed death sentence.
 5        In the event that the death penalty in this Act  is  held
 6    to  be  unconstitutional  by  the Supreme Court of the United
 7    States or of the State of Illinois, any person  convicted  of
 8    first degree murder shall be sentenced by the court to a term
 9    of  imprisonment  under  Chapter  V  of  the  Unified Code of
10    Corrections.
11        In the event that any  death  sentence  pursuant  to  the
12    sentencing   provisions   of   this   Section   is   declared
13    unconstitutional by the Supreme Court of the United States or
14    of  the State of Illinois, the court having jurisdiction over
15    a person  previously  sentenced  to  death  shall  cause  the
16    defendant to be brought before the court, and the court shall
17    sentence the  defendant  to  a  term  of  imprisonment  under
18    Chapter V of the Unified Code of Corrections.
19    (Source: P.A.  88-176;  88-433; 88-670, eff. 12-2-94; 88-677,
20    eff. 12-15-94; 88-678,  eff.  7-1-95;  89-235,  eff.  8-4-95;
21    89-428,  eff.  12-13-95;  89-462,  eff. 5-29-96; 89-498, eff.
22    6-27-96.)

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