II
118THCONGRESS
2
DSESSION S. 3859
To ensure that homicides can be prosecuted under Federal law without
regard to the time elapsed between the act or omission that caused
the death of the victim and the death itself.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
FEBRUARY29, 2024
Mr. G
RASSLEY(for himself and Mr. OSSOFF) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice, considered, read the third time, and passed
A BILL
To ensure that homicides can be prosecuted under Federal
law without regard to the time elapsed between the act
or omission that caused the death of the victim and
the death itself.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Justice for Murder 4
Victims Act’’. 5
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•S 3859 CPS
SEC. 2. HOMICIDE OFFENSES. 1
(a) I
NGENERAL.—Chapter 51 of title 18, United 2
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-3
lowing: 4
‘‘§ 1123. No maximum time period between act or 5
omission and death of victim 6
‘‘(a) I
NGENERAL.—A prosecution may be instituted 7
for any homicide offense under this title without regard 8
to the time that elapsed between— 9
‘‘(1) the act or omission that caused the death 10
of the victim; and 11
‘‘(2) the death of the victim. 12
‘‘(b) R
ELATION TOSTATUTE OF LIMITATIONS.— 13
Nothing in subsection (a) shall be construed to supersede 14
the limitations period under section 3282(a), to the extent 15
applicable. 16
‘‘(c) M
AXIMUMTIMEPERIODAPPLICABLE IFDEATH 17
P
ENALTYIMPOSED.—A sentence of death may not be im-18
posed for a homicide offense under this title unless the 19
Government proves beyond a reasonable doubt that not 20
more than 1 year and 1 day elapsed between— 21
‘‘(1) the act or omission that caused the death 22
of the victim; and 23
‘‘(2) the death of the victim.’’. 24
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•S 3859 CPS
(b) TABLE OFCONTENTS.—The table of sections for 1
chapter 51 of title 18, United States Code, is amended 2
by adding at the end the following: 3
‘‘1123. No maximum time period between act or omission and death of victim.’’.
(c) APPLICABILITY.—Section 1123(a) of title 18, 4
United States Code, as added by subsection (a), shall 5
apply with respect to an act or omission described in that 6
section that occurs after the date of enactment of this Act. 7
(d) M
AXIMUMPENALTY FORFIRST-DEGREEMUR-8
DERBASED ONTIMEPERIODBETWEENACT OROMIS-9
SION ANDDEATH OFVICTIM.—Section 1111(b) of title 10
18, United States Code, is amended by inserting after 11
‘‘imprisonment for life’’ the following: ‘‘, unless the death 12
of the victim occurred more than 1 year and 1 day after 13
the act or omission that caused the death of the victim, 14
in which case the punishment shall be imprisonment for 15
any term of years or for life’’. 16
Æ
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