Minnesota Session Laws - 2014, Regular Session

CHAPTER 302--H.F.No. 1226

An act

relating to public safety; providing enhanced penalties for causing the death of a prosecuting attorney or judge or assaulting a prosecuting attorney or judge;

amending Minnesota Statutes 2012, sections 609.185; 609.221, subdivision 2; 609.2231, subdivision 3.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 609.185, is amended to read:

609.185 MURDER IN THE FIRST DEGREE.

(a) Whoever does any of the following is guilty of murder in the first degree and shall be sentenced to imprisonment for life:

(1) causes the death of a human being with premeditation and with intent to effect the death of the person or of another;

(2) causes the death of a human being while committing or attempting to commit criminal sexual conduct in the first or second degree with force or violence, either upon or affecting the person or another;

(3) causes the death of a human being with intent to effect the death of the person or another, while committing or attempting to commit burglary, aggravated robbery, kidnapping, arson in the first or second degree, a drive-by shooting, tampering with a witness in the first degree, escape from custody, or any felony violation of chapter 152 involving the unlawful sale of a controlled substance;

(4) causes the death of a peace officer, prosecuting attorney, judge, or a guard employed at a Minnesota state or local correctional facility, with intent to effect the death of that person or another, while the peace officer or guard person is engaged in the performance of official duties;

(5) causes the death of a minor while committing child abuse, when the perpetrator has engaged in a past pattern of child abuse upon a child and the death occurs under circumstances manifesting an extreme indifference to human life;

(6) causes the death of a human being while committing domestic abuse, when the perpetrator has engaged in a past pattern of domestic abuse upon the victim or upon another family or household member and the death occurs under circumstances manifesting an extreme indifference to human life; or

(7) causes the death of a human being while committing, conspiring to commit, or attempting to commit a felony crime to further terrorism and the death occurs under circumstances manifesting an extreme indifference to human life.

(b) For the purposes of paragraph (a), clause (4), "prosecuting attorney" has the meaning given in section 609.221, subdivision 2, paragraph (c), clause (4).

(c) For the purposes of paragraph (a), clause (4), "judge" has the meaning given in section 609.221, subdivision 2, paragraph (c), clause (5).

(b) (d) For purposes of paragraph (a), clause (5), "child abuse" means an act committed against a minor victim that constitutes a violation of the following laws of this state or any similar laws of the United States or any other state: section 609.221; 609.222; 609.223; 609.224; 609.2242; 609.342; 609.343; 609.344; 609.345; 609.377; 609.378; or 609.713.

(c) (e) For purposes of paragraph (a), clause (6), "domestic abuse" means an act that:

(1) constitutes a violation of section 609.221, 609.222, 609.223, 609.224, 609.2242, 609.342, 609.343, 609.344, 609.345, 609.713, or any similar laws of the United States or any other state; and

(2) is committed against the victim who is a family or household member as defined in section 518B.01, subdivision 2, paragraph (b).

(d) (f) For purposes of paragraph (a), clause (7), "further terrorism" has the meaning given in section 609.714, subdivision 1.

EFFECTIVE DATE.

This section is effective August 1, 2014, and applies to crimes committed on or after that date.

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 609.221, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2.

Use of deadly force against peace officer, prosecuting attorney, judge, or correctional employee.

(a) Whoever assaults a peace officer, prosecuting attorney, judge, or correctional employee by using or attempting to use deadly force against the officer, attorney, judge, or employee while the officer or employee person is engaged in the performance of a duty imposed by law, policy, or rule may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than 20 years or to payment of a fine of not more than $30,000, or both.

(b) A person convicted of assaulting a peace officer, prosecuting attorney, judge, or correctional employee as described in paragraph (a) shall be committed to the commissioner of corrections for not less than ten years, nor more than 20 years. A defendant convicted and sentenced as required by this paragraph is not eligible for probation, parole, discharge, work release, or supervised release, until that person has served the full term of imprisonment as provided by law, notwithstanding the provisions of sections 241.26, 242.19, 243.05, 244.04, 609.12, and 609.135. Notwithstanding section 609.135, the court may not stay the imposition or execution of this sentence.

(c) As used in this subdivision:

(1) "correctional employee" means an employee of a public or private prison, jail, or workhouse;

(2) "deadly force" has the meaning given in section 609.066, subdivision 1; and

(3) "peace officer" has the meaning given in section 626.84, subdivision 1;

(4) "prosecuting attorney" means an attorney, with criminal prosecution or civil responsibilities, who is the attorney general, a political subdivision's elected or appointed county or city attorney, or a deputy, assistant, or special assistant of any of these; and

(5) "judge" means a judge or justice of any court of this state that is established by the Minnesota Constitution.

EFFECTIVE DATE.

This section is effective August 1, 2014, and applies to crimes committed on or after that date.

Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 609.2231, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

Subd. 3.

Correctional employees; prosecuting attorneys; judges; probation officers.

Whoever commits either of the following acts against an employee of a correctional facility as defined in section 241.021, subdivision 1, paragraph (f), against a prosecuting attorney as defined in section 609.221, subdivision 2, paragraph (c), clause (4), against a judge as defined in section 609.221, subdivision 2, paragraph (c), clause (5), or against a probation officer or other qualified person employed in supervising offenders while the employee, officer, or person is engaged in the performance of a duty imposed by law, policy, or rule is guilty of a felony and may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than two years or to payment of a fine of not more than $4,000, or both:

(1) assaults the employee person and inflicts demonstrable bodily harm; or

(2) intentionally throws or otherwise transfers bodily fluids or feces at or onto the employee person.

EFFECTIVE DATE.

This section is effective August 1, 2014, and applies to crimes committed on or after that date.

Presented to the governor May 17, 2014

Signed by the governor May 21, 2014, 10:23 a.m.