Provides for furnishing transcript of trial of a defendant convicted of a homicide offense to a family member of the victim at no cost to the family member

BILL NUMBER:A3514A

Title of bill

An act to amend the criminal procedure law, in relation to the delivery of stenographic transcripts to family members of victims of homicides

Summary of specific provisions

The civil practice law and rules is amended by adding a new section 8301-a. This section states that the court clerk, within 180 days after a conviction for the crime of homicide as defined in the penal law shall so notify the court stenographer, who shall make a transcript of the stenographic minutes of said trial or hearing, and shall deliver said transcript to the victim's survivors or their attorney, and file with the court clerk an affidavit of the fact and date of such delivery and filing. The expense of such transcript shall be a county charge or, in the counties within the city of New York, a city charge, as the case may be, payable to the stenographer out of the court fund upon the certificate of the judge presiding at the trial or hearing.

Justification

At the conclusion of a criminal trial, the criminal is entitled to a free copy of the Court transcripts. Unfortunately and unjustly, the victim or his or her survivors must pay for each page of the same transcripts. The number of pages can often run into the hundreds. The Court Stenographers office charges between $2-$3 per page for an official transcript if the minutes are already done. Otherwise the fee runs $4-$5 a page. Most families cannot afford to pay the prohibitive cost.

Prior legislative history

01/11/07 referred to judiciary 01/09/08 referred to judiciary

Fiscal implications

To be determined.

Effective date

This act shall take effect immediately.