Senate Bill 2396

AN ACT TO PROVIDE ALTERNATIVE SENTENCING AND PAROLE OPTIONS FOR JUVENILE OFFENDERS IN CERTAIN MURDER CONVICTIONS; TO AMEND SECTIONS 97-3-21, 97-3-2 AND 47-7-3, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CONFORM; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. Section 97-3-21, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

97-3-21. (1) (a) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (b) of this subsection for a juvenile offender, every person who shall be convicted of first-degree murder shall be sentenced by the court to imprisonment for life in the custody of the Department of Corrections.

(b) Every juvenile offender who shall be convicted of first-degree murder may be sentenced to forty (40) years in the custody of the Department of Corrections if the punishment is so fixed by jury after a separate sentencing proceeding. If the jury fails to agree on fixing the penalty at forty (40) years, the court shall fix the penalty at not less than five (5) nor more than twenty (20) years in the custody of the Department of Corrections.

(2) Every person who shall be convicted of second-degree murder shall be imprisoned for life in the custody of the Department of Corrections if the punishment is so fixed by the jury in its verdict after a separate sentencing proceeding. If the jury fails to agree on fixing the penalty at imprisonment for life, the court shall fix the penalty at not less than twenty (20) nor more than forty (40) years in the custody of the Department of Corrections.

(3) (a) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (b) of this subsection for a juvenile offender, every person who shall be convicted of capital murder shall be sentenced ( * * *ai) to death; ( * * *bii) to imprisonment for life in the State Penitentiary without parole; or ( * * *ciii) to imprisonment for life in the State Penitentiary with eligibility for parole as provided in Section 47-7-3(1)(f).

(b) Every juvenile offender who shall be convicted of capital murder may be sentenced to fifty (50) years in the custody of the Department of Corrections if the punishment is so fixed by jury after a separate sentencing proceeding. If the jury fails to agree on fixing the penalty at fifty (50) years, the court shall fix the penalty at not less than ten (10) nor more than thirty (30) years in the custody of the Department of Corrections.

(4) The provisions of this section regarding juvenile offenders shall apply retroactively to all arrests and convictions regardless of the date on which the arrests were made or the judgments of conviction were entered.

(5) For purposes of this section, "juvenile offender" means a person who was under the age of eighteen (18) when he or she committed the crime for which he or she is being sentenced.

SECTION 2. Section 97-3-2, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

97-3-2. (1) The following shall be classified as crimes of violence:

(a) Driving under the influence as provided in Sections 63-11-30(5) and 63-11-30(12)(d);

(b) Murder and attempted murder as provided in Sections 97-1-7(2), 97-3-19, 97-3-23 and 97-3-25 except for an offense committed in violation of Section 97-3-19 by a person under the age of eighteen (18);

(d) Manslaughter as provided in Sections 97-3-27, 97-3-29, 97-3-31, 97-3-33, 97-3-35, 97-3-39, 97-3-41, 97-3-43, 97-3-45 and 97-3-47;

(e) Killing of an unborn child as provided in Sections 97-3-37(2)(a) and 97-3-37(2)(b);

(f) Kidnapping as provided in Section 97-3-53;

(g) Human trafficking as provided in Section 97-3-54.1;

(h) Poisoning as provided in Section 97-3-61;

(i) Rape as provided in Sections 97-3-65 and 97-3-71;

(j) Robbery as provided in Sections 97-3-73 and 97-3-79;

(k) Sexual battery as provided in Section 97-3-95;

(l) Drive-by shooting or bombing as provided in Section 97-3-109;

(m) Carjacking as provided in Section 97-3-117;

(n) Felonious neglect, abuse or battery of a child as provided in Section 97-5-39;

(o) Burglary of a dwelling as provided in Sections 97-17-23 and 97-17-37;

(p) Use of explosives or weapons of mass destruction as provided in Section 97-37-25;

(q) Statutory rape as provided in Section 97-3-65(1), but this classification is rebuttable on hearing by a judge;

(r) Exploitation of a child as provided in Section 97-5-33;

(s) Gratification of lust as provided in Section 97-5-23; and

(t) Shooting into a dwelling as provided in Section 97-37-29.

(2) In any felony offense with a maximum sentence of no less than five (5) years, upon conviction, the judge may find and place in the sentencing order, on the record in open court, that the offense, while not listed in subsection (1) of this section, shall be classified as a crime of violence if the facts show that the defendant used physical force, or made a credible attempt or threat of physical force against another person as part of the criminal act. No person convicted of a crime of violence listed in this section is eligible for parole or for early release from the custody of the Department of Corrections until the person has served at least fifty percent (50%) of the sentence imposed by the court.

SECTION 3. Section 47-7-3, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

47-7-3. (1) Every prisoner who has been convicted of any offense against the State of Mississippi, and is confined in the execution of a judgment of such conviction in the Mississippi Department of Corrections for a definite term or terms of one (1) year or over, or for the term of his or her natural life, whose record of conduct shows that such prisoner has observed the rules of the department, and who has served not less than one-fourth (1/4) of the total of such term or terms for which such prisoner was sentenced, or, if sentenced to serve a term or terms of thirty (30) years or more, or, if sentenced for the term of the natural life of such prisoner, has served not less than ten (10) years of such life sentence, may be released on parole as hereinafter provided, except that:

(a) No prisoner convicted as a confirmed and habitual criminal under the provisions of Sections 99-19-81 through 99-19-87 shall be eligible for parole;

(b) Any person who shall have been convicted of a sex crime shall not be released on parole except for a person under the age of nineteen (19) who has been convicted under Section 97-3-67;

(c) (i) No person shall be eligible for parole who shall, on or after January 1, 1977, be convicted of robbery or attempted robbery through the display of a firearm until he shall have served ten (10) years if sentenced to a term or terms of more than ten (10) years or if sentenced for the term of the natural life of such person. If such person is sentenced to a term or terms of ten (10) years or less, then such person shall not be eligible for parole. The provisions of this paragraph (c)(i) shall also apply to any person who shall commit robbery or attempted robbery on or after July 1, 1982, through the display of a deadly weapon. This paragraph (c)(i) shall not apply to persons convicted after September 30, 1994;

(ii) No person shall be eligible for parole who shall, on or after October 1, 1994, be convicted of robbery, attempted robbery or carjacking as provided in Section 97-3-115 et seq., through the display of a firearm or drive-by shooting as provided in Section 97-3-109. The provisions of this paragraph (c)(ii) shall also apply to any person who shall commit robbery, attempted robbery, carjacking or a drive-by shooting on or after October 1, 1994, through the display of a deadly weapon. This paragraph (c)(ii) shall not apply to persons convicted after July 1, 2014;

(d) No person shall be eligible for parole who, on or after July 1, 1994, is charged, tried, convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment without eligibility for parole under the provisions of Section 99-19-101;

(e) No person shall be eligible for parole who is charged, tried, convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment under the provisions of Section 99-19-101;

(f) No person shall be eligible for parole who is convicted or whose suspended sentence is revoked after June 30, 1995, except that an offender convicted of only nonviolent crimes after June 30, 1995, may be eligible for parole if the offender meets the requirements in subsection (1) and this paragraph. In addition to other requirements, if an offender is convicted of a drug or driving under the influence felony, the offender must complete a drug and alcohol rehabilitation program prior to parole or the offender may be required to complete a post-release drug and alcohol program as a condition of parole. For purposes of this paragraph, "nonviolent crime" means a felony other than homicide when committed by an offender over the age of eighteen (18), robbery, manslaughter, sex crimes, arson, burglary of an occupied dwelling, aggravated assault, kidnapping, felonious abuse of vulnerable adults, felonies with enhanced penalties, the sale or manufacture of a controlled substance under the Uniform Controlled Substances Law, felony child abuse, or exploitation or any crime under Section 97-5-33 or Section 97-5-39(2) or 97-5-39(1)(b), 97-5-39(1)(c) or a violation of Section 63-11-30(5). In addition, an offender incarcerated for committing the crime of possession of a controlled substance under the Uniform Controlled Substances Law after July 1, 1995, shall be eligible for parole. An offender incarcerated for committing the crime of sale or manufacture of a controlled substance shall be eligible for parole after serving one-fourth (1/4) of the sentence imposed by the trial court. This paragraph (f) shall not apply to persons convicted on or after July 1, 2014;

(g) (i) No person who, on or after July 1, 2014, is convicted of a crime of violence pursuant to Section 97-3-2, a sex crime or an offense that specifically prohibits parole release, shall be eligible for parole. All persons convicted of any other offense on or after July 1, 2014, are eligible for parole after they have served one-fourth (1/4) of the sentence or sentences imposed by the trial court.

(ii) Notwithstanding the provisions in paragraph (i) of this subsection, a person serving a sentence who has reached the age of sixty (60) or older and who has served no less than ten (10) years of the sentence or sentences imposed by the trial court shall be eligible for parole. Any person eligible for parole under this subsection shall be required to have a parole hearing before the Parole Board prior to parole release. No inmate shall be eligible for parole under this paragraph of this subsection if:

1. The inmate is sentenced as a habitual offender under Sections 99-19-81 through 99-19-87;

2. The inmate is sentenced for a crime of violence under Section 97-3-2;

3. The inmate is sentenced for an offense that specifically prohibits parole release;

4. The inmate is sentenced for trafficking in controlled substances under Section 41-29-139(f);

5. The inmate is sentenced for a sex crime; or

6. The inmate has not served one-fourth (1/4) of the sentence imposed by the court.

(iii) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph * * * ~~(1)~~ (a) of this subsection, any offender who has not committed a crime of violence under Section 97-3-2 and has served twenty-five percent (25%) or more of his sentence may be paroled by the Parole Board if, after the sentencing judge or if the sentencing judge is retired, disabled or incapacitated, the senior circuit judge authorizes the offender to be eligible for parole consideration.

(h) All persons who were under the age of eighteen (18) when they committed an offense in violation of Section 97-3-19(1)(a), 97-3-19(1)(c), 97-3-19(1)(d) or 97-3-19(2) and were convicted of such offense may be eligible for parole after serving one-fourth (1/4) of the sentence or sentences imposed by the trial court. This paragraph shall apply retroactively to all such convictions regardless of the date on which the judgment of conviction was entered.

(2) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an inmate shall not be eligible to receive earned time, good time or any other administrative reduction of time which shall reduce the time necessary to be served for parole eligibility as provided in subsection (1) of this section.

(3) The State Parole Board shall, by rules and regulations, establish a method of determining a tentative parole hearing date for each eligible offender taken into the custody of the Department of Corrections. The tentative parole hearing date shall be determined within ninety (90) days after the department has assumed custody of the offender. The parole hearing date shall occur when the offender is within thirty (30) days of the month of his parole eligibility date. The parole eligibility date shall not be earlier than one-fourth (1/4) of the prison sentence or sentences imposed by the court.

(4) Any inmate within twenty-four (24) months of his parole eligibility date and who meets the criteria established by the classification board shall receive priority for placement in any educational development and job training programs that are part of his or her parole case plan. Any inmate refusing to participate in an educational development or job training program that is part of the case plan may be in jeopardy of noncompliance with the case plan and may be denied parole.

SECTION 4. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.