WEST virginia Legislature

2017 regular session

Introduced

House Bill 2918

By Delegates Byrd, Phillips and Hanshaw

[Introduced March 10, 2017; Referred
to the Committee on the Judiciary.]

A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated §61-2-10c, relating to creating a felony penalty of life without mercy for the first degree murder of a law-enforcement officer.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

That the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended by adding thereto a new section, designated §61-2-10c, to read as follows:

ARTICLE 2. CRIMES AGAINST THE PERSON.

§61-2-10c First degree murder of a law-enforcement; penalties.

Any person who is convicted of murder in the first degree of a law-enforcement officer acting in his or her official capacity shall be confined in a state correctional facility for life, without mercy:  Provided, That this section does not apply if the person convicted of first degree murder was convicted as a principal in the second degree or as an accessory before or after the fact pursuant to section six, article eleven of this chapter.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to create a penalty for the offense of killing a law-enforcement officer.  The penalty is life without mercy.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.