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Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
3 Multi-sponsors
History
- Referred to codes
- Referred to codes
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Requires committing to custody of sheriff a person against whom a verified statement has been filed alleging the intimidation of a victim or a witness while on bail
In Senate Committee · Codes · Sponsor Owen H. Johnson
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
BILL NUMBER:A8655
Title of bill
An act to amend the criminal procedure law, in relation to requiring certain persons be committed to the custody of the sheriff pending a hearing on revocation of bail
Purpose of the bill
This bill would require the incarceration, pending a bail revocation hearing within 72 hours, of a defendant at liberty on bail, upon the filing of a verified statement that the defendant has intimidated a victim or witness in violations of section 215.15, 215.16 or 215.17 of the Penal Law.
Summary of specific provisions
§1-Amends paragraph (c) of subdivision 2 of section 530.60 of the Crimi- nal Procedure Law.
§2-Effective date.
Justification
Presently, if a defendant at liberty on bail intimidates a victim or witness, until the district attorney commences a bail revo- cation hearing, the defendant is free to continue to stalk the crime victim or witness.
As illustrated by the killing of Bonnie Mejia of Freeport, New York, a Queens College student who was killed by two out-on-bail defendants against whom she was to testify in a robbery and burglary case, present Criminal Procedures Law provides inadequate protection to citizens against criminals who kill or intimidate to silence the witness against them. Requiring a bail revocation hearing before incarcerating a defend- ant accused of witness or victim intimidation merely allows the defend- ant more time to silence an opposing witness or crime victim. Instead, and in order to provide crime victims and witnesses with a meaningful form of protection against intimidation, the state should remove the threatening defendant from the streets and mandate incarceration pending the bail revocation hearing. This legislation would effect such a change in the Criminal Procedure Law.
Prior legislative history
2007-2008: A.3892/S.1346; 2005-2006: A.3316/S.280; 2003-2004: A.1592/S.942.
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.