| 19 | + | SYNOPSIS: |
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| 20 | + | Under existing law, rape in the first degree and |
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| 21 | + | sodomy in the first degree are Class A felonies. |
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| 22 | + | This bill would require that a person 18 years |
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| 23 | + | of age or older convicted of rape in the first degree |
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| 24 | + | or sodomy in the first degree when the victim is less |
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| 25 | + | than six years of age shall be punished to either death |
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| 26 | + | or life imprisonment without the possibility of parole |
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| 27 | + | and if the offending person is less than 18 years of |
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| 28 | + | age sentenced to life imprisonment without parole or |
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| 29 | + | life. |
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19 | 30 | | A BILL |
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20 | 31 | | TO BE ENTITLED |
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21 | 32 | | AN ACT |
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22 | 33 | | Relating to crimes and offenses; to amend Sections |
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23 | 34 | | 13A-5-40, 13A-5-49, 13A-6-61, 13A-6-63, and 13A-6-65.1, Code |
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24 | 35 | | of Alabama 1975, to revise the criminal penalties for |
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25 | 36 | | violations of rape in the first degree and sodomy in the first |
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26 | 37 | | degree when the victim is less than six years of age. |
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27 | 38 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA: |
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28 | 39 | | Section 1. Sections 13A-5-40, 13A-5-49, 13A-6-61, |
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29 | 40 | | 13A-6-63, and 13A-6-65.1, Code of Alabama 1975, are amended to |
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30 | | - | read as follows: |
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31 | | - | "§13A-5-40 |
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32 | | - | (a) The following are capital offenses: |
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33 | | - | (1) Murder by the defendant during a kidnapping in the |
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34 | | - | first degree or an attempt thereof committed by the defendant. |
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35 | | - | (2) Murder by the defendant during a robbery in the |
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36 | | - | first degree or an attempt thereof committed by the defendant. |
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37 | | - | (3) Murder by the defendant during a rape in the first |
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38 | | - | or second degree or an attempt thereof committed by the |
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39 | | - | defendant; or murder by the defendant during sodomy in the |
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40 | | - | first or second degree or an attempt thereof committed by the |
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41 | | - | defendant. |
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| 70 | + | 13A-6-63, and 13A-6-65.1, Code of Alabama 1975, are amended to |
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| 71 | + | read as follows: |
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| 72 | + | "§13A-5-40 |
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| 73 | + | (a) The following are capital offenses: |
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| 74 | + | (1) Murder by the defendant during a kidnapping in the |
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| 75 | + | first degree or an attempt thereof committed by the defendant. |
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| 76 | + | (2) Murder by the defendant during a robbery in the |
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| 77 | + | first degree or an attempt thereof committed by the defendant. |
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| 78 | + | (3) Murder by the defendant during a rape in the first |
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| 79 | + | or second degree or an attempt thereof committed by the |
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| 80 | + | defendant; or murder by the defendant during sodomy in the |
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| 81 | + | first or second degree or an attempt thereof committed by the |
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71 | 82 | | defendant. |
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72 | 83 | | (4) Murder by the defendant during a burglary in the |
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73 | 84 | | first or second degree or an attempt thereof committed by the |
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74 | 85 | | defendant. |
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75 | 86 | | (5) Murder of any police officer, sheriff, deputy, |
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76 | 87 | | state trooper, federal law enforcement officer, or any other |
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77 | 88 | | state or federal peace officer of any kind, or prison or jail |
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78 | 89 | | guard, while the officer or guard is on duty, regardless of |
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79 | 90 | | whether the defendant knew or should have known the victim was |
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80 | 91 | | an officer or guard on duty, or because of some official or |
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81 | 92 | | job-related act or performance of the officer or guard. |
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82 | 93 | | (6) Murder committed while the defendant is under |
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83 | 94 | | sentence of life imprisonment. |
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84 | 95 | | (7) Murder done for a pecuniary or other valuable |
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85 | 96 | | consideration or pursuant to a contract or for hire. |
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86 | 97 | | (8) Murder by the defendant during sexual abuse in the |
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87 | 98 | | first or second degree or an attempt thereof committed by the |
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88 | | - | defendant. |
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89 | | - | (9) Murder by the defendant during arson in the first |
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90 | | - | or second degree committed by the defendant; or murder by the |
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91 | | - | defendant by means of explosives or explosion. |
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92 | | - | (10) Murder wherein two or more persons are murdered by |
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93 | | - | the defendant by one act or pursuant to one scheme or course |
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94 | | - | of conduct. |
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95 | | - | (11) Murder by the defendant when the victim is a state |
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96 | | - | or federal public official or former public official and the |
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97 | | - | murder stems from or is caused by or is related to his or her |
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98 | | - | official position, act, or capacity. |
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99 | | - | (12) Murder by the defendant during the act of |
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| 128 | + | first or second degree or an attempt thereof committed by the |
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| 129 | + | defendant. |
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| 130 | + | (9) Murder by the defendant during arson in the first |
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| 131 | + | or second degree committed by the defendant; or murder by the |
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| 132 | + | defendant by means of explosives or explosion. |
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| 133 | + | (10) Murder wherein two or more persons are murdered by |
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| 134 | + | the defendant by one act or pursuant to one scheme or course |
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| 135 | + | of conduct. |
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| 136 | + | (11) Murder by the defendant when the victim is a state |
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| 137 | + | or federal public official or former public official and the |
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| 138 | + | murder stems from or is caused by or is related to his or her |
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| 139 | + | official position, act, or capacity. |
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129 | 140 | | (12) Murder by the defendant during the act of |
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130 | 141 | | unlawfully assuming control of any aircraft by use of threats |
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131 | 142 | | or force with intent to obtain any valuable consideration for |
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132 | 143 | | the release of the aircraft or any passenger or |
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133 | 144 | | crewmencrewmember thereon, to direct the route or movement of |
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134 | 145 | | the aircraft, or otherwise exert control over the aircraft. |
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135 | 146 | | (13) Murder by a defendant who has been convicted of |
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136 | 147 | | any other murder in the 20 years preceding the crime; provided |
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137 | 148 | | that the murder whichthat constitutes the capital crime shall |
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138 | 149 | | be murder as defined in subsection (b); and provided further |
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139 | 150 | | that the prior murder conviction referred to shall include |
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140 | 151 | | murder in any degree as defined at the time and place of the |
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141 | 152 | | prior conviction. |
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142 | 153 | | (14) Murder when the victim is subpoenaed, or has been |
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143 | 154 | | subpoenaed, to testify, or the victim had testified, in any |
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144 | 155 | | preliminary hearing, grand jury proceeding, criminal trial or |
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145 | 156 | | criminal proceeding of whatever nature, or civil trial or |
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146 | | - | civil proceeding of whatever nature, in any municipal, state, |
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147 | | - | or federal court, when the murder stems from, is caused by, or |
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148 | | - | is related to the capacity or role of the victim as a witness. |
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149 | | - | (15) Murder when the victim is less than fourteen14 |
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150 | | - | years of age. |
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151 | | - | (16) Murder committed by or through the use of a deadly |
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152 | | - | weapon fired or otherwise used from outside a dwelling while |
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153 | | - | the victim is in a dwelling. |
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154 | | - | (17) Murder committed by or through the use of a deadly |
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155 | | - | weapon while the victim is in a vehicle. |
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156 | | - | (18) Murder committed by or through the use of a deadly |
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157 | | - | weapon fired or otherwise used within or from a vehicle. |
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| 186 | + | criminal proceeding of whatever nature, or civil trial or |
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| 187 | + | civil proceeding of whatever nature, in any municipal, state, |
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| 188 | + | or federal court, when the murder stems from, is caused by, or |
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| 189 | + | is related to the capacity or role of the victim as a witness. |
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| 190 | + | (15) Murder when the victim is less than fourteen14 |
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| 191 | + | years of age. |
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| 192 | + | (16) Murder committed by or through the use of a deadly |
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| 193 | + | weapon fired or otherwise used from outside a dwelling while |
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| 194 | + | the victim is in a dwelling. |
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| 195 | + | (17) Murder committed by or through the use of a deadly |
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| 196 | + | weapon while the victim is in a vehicle. |
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| 197 | + | (18) Murder committed by or through the use of a deadly |
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187 | 198 | | weapon fired or otherwise used within or from a vehicle. |
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188 | 199 | | (19) Murder by the defendant where a court had issued a |
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189 | 200 | | protective order for the victim, against the defendant, |
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190 | 201 | | pursuant to Section 30-5-1 et seq. Chapter 5 of Title 30 , or |
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191 | 202 | | the protective order was issued as a condition of the |
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192 | 203 | | defendant's pretrial release. |
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193 | 204 | | (20) Murder by the defendant in the presence of a child |
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194 | 205 | | under the age of 14 years of age at the time of the offense, |
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195 | 206 | | if the victim was the parent or legal guardian of the child. |
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196 | 207 | | For purposes of this subsection, "in the presence of a child" |
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197 | 208 | | means in the physical presence of a child or having knowledge |
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198 | 209 | | that a child is present and may see or hear the act. |
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199 | 210 | | (21) Murder when the victim is a first responder who is |
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200 | 211 | | operating in an official capacity. For the purposes of this |
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201 | 212 | | subdivision, "first responder" includes emergency medical |
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202 | 213 | | services personnel licensed by the Alabama Department of |
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203 | 214 | | Public Health and firefighters and volunteer firefighters as |
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204 | | - | defined by Section 36-32-1. |
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205 | | - | (22) Rape in the first degree when the victim is less |
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206 | | - | than 12 years of age. |
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207 | | - | (23) Sodomy in the first degree when the victim is less |
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208 | | - | than 12 years of age. |
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209 | | - | (b) Except as specifically provided to the contrary in |
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210 | | - | the last part of subdivision (a)(13), the terms "murder" and |
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211 | | - | "murder by the defendant" as used in this section to define |
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212 | | - | capital offenses mean murder as defined in Section |
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213 | | - | 13A-6-2(a)(1), but not as defined in Section 13A-6-2(a)(2) and |
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214 | | - | (3). Subject to the provisions of Section 13A-5-41, murder as |
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215 | | - | defined in Section 13A-6-2(a)(2) and (3), as well as murder as |
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| 244 | + | Public Health and firefighters and volunteer firefighters as |
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| 245 | + | defined by Section 36-32-1. |
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| 246 | + | (22) Rape in the first degree when the victim is less |
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| 247 | + | than six years of age. |
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| 248 | + | (23) Sodomy in the first degree when the victim is less |
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| 249 | + | than six years of age. |
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| 250 | + | (b) Except as specifically provided to the contrary in |
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| 251 | + | the last part of subdivision (a)(13), the terms "murder" and |
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| 252 | + | "murder by the defendant" as used in this section to define |
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| 253 | + | capital offenses mean murder as defined in Section |
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| 254 | + | 13A-6-2(a)(1), but not as defined in Section 13A-6-2(a)(2) and |
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| 255 | + | (3). Subject to the provisions of Section 13A-5-41, murder as |
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245 | 256 | | defined in Section 13A-6-2(a)(2) and (3), as well as murder as |
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246 | 257 | | defined in Section 13A-6-2(a)(1), may be a lesser included |
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247 | 258 | | offense of the capital offenses defined in subsection (a). |
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248 | 259 | | (c) A defendant who does not personally commit the act |
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249 | 260 | | of killing which constitutes the murder is not guilty of a |
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250 | 261 | | capital offense defined in subsection (a) unless that |
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251 | 262 | | defendant is legally accountable for the murder because of |
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252 | 263 | | complicity in the murder itself under the provisions of |
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253 | 264 | | Section 13A-2-23, in addition to being guilty of the other |
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254 | 265 | | elements of the capital offense as defined in subsection (a). |
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255 | 266 | | (d) To the extent that a crime other than murder is an |
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256 | 267 | | element of a capital offense defined in subsection (a), a |
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257 | 268 | | defendant's guilt of that other crime may also be established |
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258 | 269 | | under Section 13A-2-23. When the defendant's guilt of that |
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259 | 270 | | other crime is established under Section 13A-2-23, that crime |
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260 | 271 | | shall be deemed to have been "committed by the defendant" |
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261 | 272 | | within the meaning of that phrase as it is used in subsection |
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303 | 314 | | (4) TheFor a violation of Section 13A-5-40(a)(1) |
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304 | 315 | | through (21), the capital offense was committed while the |
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305 | 316 | | defendant was engaged or was an accomplice in the commission |
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306 | 317 | | of, or an attempt to commit, or flight after committing, or |
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307 | 318 | | attempting to commit, rape, robbery, burglary, or kidnapping. |
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308 | 319 | | (5) The capital offense was committed for the purpose |
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309 | 320 | | of avoiding or preventing a lawful arrest or effecting an |
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310 | 321 | | escape from custody. |
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311 | 322 | | (6) The capital offense was committed for pecuniary |
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312 | 323 | | gain. |
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313 | 324 | | (7) The capital offense was committed to disrupt or |
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314 | 325 | | hinder the lawful exercise of any governmental function or the |
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315 | 326 | | enforcement of laws. |
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316 | 327 | | (8) The capital offense was especially heinous, |
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317 | 328 | | atrocious, or cruel compared to other capital offenses. |
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318 | 329 | | (9) The defendant intentionally caused the death of two |
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319 | 330 | | or more persons by one act or pursuant to one scheme or course |
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320 | | - | of conduct. |
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321 | | - | (10) The capital offense was one of a series of |
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322 | | - | intentional killings committed by the defendant. |
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323 | | - | (11) TheFor a violation of Section 13A-5-40(a)(1) |
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324 | | - | through (21), the capital offense was committed when the |
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325 | | - | victim was less than 14 years of age. |
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326 | | - | (12) The capital offense was committed by the defendant |
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327 | | - | in the presence of a child under the age of 14 years of age at |
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328 | | - | the time of the offense, if the victim was the parent or legal |
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329 | | - | guardian of the child. For the purposes of this subdivision, |
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330 | | - | "in the presence of a child" means in the physical presence of |
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331 | | - | a child or having knowledge that a child is present and may |
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| 360 | + | or more persons by one act or pursuant to one scheme or course |
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| 361 | + | of conduct. |
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| 362 | + | (10) The capital offense was one of a series of |
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| 363 | + | intentional killings committed by the defendant. |
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| 364 | + | (11) TheFor a violation of Section 13A-5-40(a)(1) |
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| 365 | + | through (21), the capital offense was committed when the |
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| 366 | + | victim was less than 14 years of age. |
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| 367 | + | (12) The capital offense was committed by the defendant |
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| 368 | + | in the presence of a child under the age of 14 years of age at |
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| 369 | + | the time of the offense, if the victim was the parent or legal |
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| 370 | + | guardian of the child. For the purposes of this subdivision, |
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| 371 | + | "in the presence of a child" means in the physical presence of |
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361 | 372 | | a child or having knowledge that a child is present and may |
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362 | 373 | | see or hear the act. |
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363 | 374 | | (13) The victim of the capital offense was any police |
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364 | 375 | | officer, sheriff, deputy, state trooper, federal law |
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365 | 376 | | enforcement officer, or any other state or federal peace |
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366 | 377 | | officer of any kind, or prison or jail guard, while the |
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367 | 378 | | officer or guard was on duty, regardless of whether the |
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368 | 379 | | defendant knew or should have known the victim was an officer |
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369 | 380 | | or guard on duty, or because of some official or job-related |
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370 | 381 | | act or performance of the officer or guard. |
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371 | 382 | | (14) The victim of the capital offense was a first |
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372 | 383 | | responder who was operating in an official capacity. For the |
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373 | 384 | | purposes of this subdivision, "first responder" includes |
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374 | 385 | | emergency medical services personnel licensed by the Alabama |
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375 | 386 | | Department of Public Health, as well as firefighters and |
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376 | 387 | | volunteer firefighters as defined by Section 36-32-1." |
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377 | 388 | | "§13A-6-61 |
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378 | | - | (a) A person commits the crime of rape in the first |
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379 | | - | degree if he or she does any of the following: |
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380 | | - | (1) Engages in sexual intercourse with another person |
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381 | | - | by forcible compulsion. |
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382 | | - | (2) Engages in sexual intercourse with another person |
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383 | | - | who is incapable of consent by reason of being incapacitated. |
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384 | | - | (3) Being 16 years oldof age or older, engages in |
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385 | | - | sexual intercourse with another person who is less than 12 |
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386 | | - | years oldof age. |
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387 | | - | (b) Rape in the first degree is a Class A felony ; |
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388 | | - | provided, that the punishment for a violation of subdivision |
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389 | | - | (a)(3) shall be as determined and fixed as provided in Article |
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| 418 | + | "§13A-6-61 |
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| 419 | + | (a) A person commits the crime of rape in the first |
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| 420 | + | degree if he or she does any of the following: |
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| 421 | + | (1) Engages in sexual intercourse with another person |
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| 422 | + | by forcible compulsion. |
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| 423 | + | (2) Engages in sexual intercourse with another person |
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| 424 | + | who is incapable of consent by reason of being incapacitated. |
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| 425 | + | (3) Being 16 years oldof age or older, engages in |
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| 426 | + | sexual intercourse with another person who is less than 12 |
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| 427 | + | years oldof age. |
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| 428 | + | (b) Rape in the first degree is a Class A felony ; |
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| 429 | + | provided, that the punishment for a violation of subdivision |
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419 | 430 | | (a)(3) shall be as determined and fixed as provided in Article |
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420 | 431 | | 2 of Chapter 5. Any defendant sentenced to life on a capital |
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421 | 432 | | offense must serve a minimum of 30 years, day for day, prior |
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422 | 433 | | to his or her first consideration of parole ." |
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423 | 434 | | "§13A-6-63 |
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424 | 435 | | (a) A person commits the crime of sodomy in the first |
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425 | 436 | | degree if he or she does any of the following: |
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426 | 437 | | (1) Engages in sodomy with another person by forcible |
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427 | 438 | | compulsion. |
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428 | 439 | | (2) Engages in sodomy with another person who is |
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429 | 440 | | incapable of consent by reason of being incapacitated. |
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430 | 441 | | (3) Being 16 years oldof age or older, engages in |
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431 | 442 | | sodomy with a person who is less than 12 years oldof age. |
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432 | 443 | | (b) Sodomy in the first degree is a Class A felony ; |
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433 | 444 | | provided, that the punishment for a violation of subdivision |
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434 | 445 | | (a)(3) shall be as determined and fixed as provided in Article |
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435 | 446 | | 2 of Chapter 5. Any defendant sentenced to life on a capital |
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436 | | - | offense must serve a minimum of 30 years, day for day, prior |
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437 | | - | to his or her first consideration of parole ." |
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438 | | - | "§13A-6-65.1 |
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439 | | - | (a) A person commits the crime of sexual torture if he |
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440 | | - | or she does any of the following: |
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441 | | - | (1) Penetrates the vagina, anus, or mouth of another |
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442 | | - | person with an inanimate object, by forcible compulsion, with |
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443 | | - | the intent to sexually torture, sexually abuse, or to gratify |
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444 | | - | the sexual desire of either party. |
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445 | | - | (2) Penetrates the vagina, anus, or mouth of a person |
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446 | | - | who is incapable of consent by reason of being incapacitated, |
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447 | | - | with an inanimate object, with the intent to sexually torture, |
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| 476 | + | 2 of Chapter 5. Any defendant sentenced to life on a capital |
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| 477 | + | offense must serve a minimum of 30 years, day for day, prior |
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| 478 | + | to his or her first consideration of parole ." |
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| 479 | + | "§13A-6-65.1 |
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| 480 | + | (a) A person commits the crime of sexual torture if he |
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| 481 | + | or she does any of the following: |
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| 482 | + | (1) Penetrates the vagina, anus, or mouth of another |
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| 483 | + | person with an inanimate object, by forcible compulsion, with |
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| 484 | + | the intent to sexually torture, sexually abuse, or to gratify |
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| 485 | + | the sexual desire of either party. |
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| 486 | + | (2) Penetrates the vagina, anus, or mouth of a person |
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| 487 | + | who is incapable of consent by reason of being incapacitated, |
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477 | 488 | | with an inanimate object, with the intent to sexually torture, |
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478 | 489 | | sexually abuse, or to gratify the sexual desire of either |
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479 | 490 | | party. |
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480 | 491 | | (3) Penetrates the vagina, anus, or mouth of a person |
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481 | 492 | | who is less than 12 years oldof age, with an inanimate object, |
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482 | 493 | | by a person who is 16 years oldof age or older with the intent |
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483 | 494 | | to sexually torture, sexually abuse, or to gratify the sexual |
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484 | 495 | | desire of either party. |
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485 | 496 | | (4) By inflicting physical injury, including, but not |
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486 | 497 | | limited to, burning, crushing, wounding, mutilating, or |
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487 | 498 | | assaulting the sex organs or intimate parts of another person, |
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488 | 499 | | with the intent to sexually torture, sexually abuse, or to |
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489 | 500 | | gratify the sexual desire of either party. |
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490 | 501 | | (b) The crime of sexual torture is a Class A felony ; |
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491 | 502 | | provided, that the punishment for a violation of subdivision |
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492 | 503 | | (a)(3) shall be as determined and fixed as provided in Article |
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493 | 504 | | 2 of Chapter 5. Any defendant sentenced to life on a capital |
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