MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2004 Regular Session
To: Judiciary B
By: Representative Bailey
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 97-3-53, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REVISE THE OFFENSE OF KIDNAPPING; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. Section 97-3-53, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
97-3-53. Any person who shall with or without intent to secretly confine and without lawful authority forcibly seize and confine any other person, or shall inveigle or kidnap any other person with intent to cause such person to be * * * confined or imprisoned against his or her will, or shall without lawful authority forcibly seize, inveigle or kidnap any child under the age of sixteen (16) years * * * against the will of the parents or guardian or person having the lawful custody of such child, shall, upon conviction, be imprisoned for life in the state penitentiary if the punishment is so fixed by the jury in its verdict. If the jury fails to agree on fixing the penalty at imprisonment for life the court shall fix the penalty at not less than one (1) year nor more than thirty (30) years in the state penitentiary.
This section shall not be held to repeal, modify or amend any other criminal statute of this state.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2004.