Drug Kingpin Death Penalty Act

Summary

Drug Kingpin Death Penalty Act - Provides for imposition of the death penalty for those: (1) subject to mandatory life imprisonment for committing a Federal drug felony as part of a continuing criminal enterprise; (2) convicted of committing such a felony as part of a continuing criminal enterprise where the defendant is a principal administrator, organizer, or leader of such an enterprise and, in order to obstruct the investigation or prosecution of the enterprise, attempts or conspires to kill any public officer, juror, witness, or family or household member of such a person; and (3) who, intending to cause death or acting with reckless disregard for human life, engage in a Federal drug felony resulting in the death of another person. Sets forth mitigating factors (such as whether the defendant's mental capacity to appreciate the wrongfulness of his or her conduct or to conform such conduct to the requirements of the law was significantly impaired, the defendant was under unusual or substantial duress, or the defendant was an accomplice whose participation in the offense was relatively minor) and aggravating factors (such as prior convictions of offenses for which a death sentence or life imprisonment was authorized, prior convictions of two or more violent or drug offenses, certain weapons offenses, the use of minors in trafficking, and lethal adulteration of a controlled substance) in determining whether a sentence of death is justified. Sets forth procedures for a special hearing to determine whether a sentence of death is justified. Requires the court to instruct the jury that, in considering whether a sentence of death is justified, it shall not consider the race, color, religious beliefs, national origin, or sex of the defendant or any victim. Requires the court to impose a sentence of death if the jury (or if there is no jury, the court) returns a recommendation of the death penalty. Sets forth procedures for review and implementation of a sentence of death. Specifies that: (1) a sentence of death may not be carried out upon a person who lacks the mental capacity to understand the death penalty and why it was imposed or upon a pregnant woman; and (2) no employee of any State department of corrections or the Federal Bureau of Prisons and no employee providing services to that department or bureau under contract shall be required to participate in any execution if contrary to such employee's moral or religious convictions. Provides for appointment of counsel in Federal capital cases for indigent defendants. Sets standards for competence of counsel. Specifies that Federal law does not create appointment of counsel requirements in State capital cases other than those imposed by the Constitution. Specifies that appointment of counsel in the Federal habeas corpus review of State capital cases is discretionary.

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Timeline

1. 14 January 1991

   Introduced

   Read twice and referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

   Source: IntroReferral

2. 14 January 1991

   Introduced

   Introduced in Senate

   Source: IntroReferral

Votes

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Versions

• Introduced in Senate · — · Download file

Documents

2 official files

• Introduced in Senate (text)

  Introduced in Senate · EN

  ViewDownloadOpen at official source

• Introduced in Senate

  summary · EN · 14 January 1991

  Open at official source

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Sponsors

• Sen. D'Amato, Alfonse [R-NY] · R · Sponsor
• Sen. Dole, Robert J. [R-KS] · R · Sponsor
• Sen. DeConcini, Dennis [D-AZ] · D · Sponsor
• Sen. Thurmond, Strom [R-SC] · R · Sponsor
• Sen. McConnell, Mitch [R-KY] · R · Sponsor
• Sen. Helms, Jesse [R-NC] · R · Sponsor
• Sen. Lott, Trent [R-MS] · R · Sponsor
• Sen. Heinz, John [R-PA] · R · Sponsor
• Sen. Domenici, Pete V. [R-NM] · R · Sponsor
• Sen. Simpson, Alan K. [R-WY] · R · Cosponsor
• Sen. Packwood, Bob [R-OR] · R · Cosponsor
• Sen. Coats, Daniel [R-IN] · R · Cosponsor
• Sen. Stevens, Ted [R-AK] · R · Cosponsor
• Sen. Shelby, Richard C. [R-AL] · D · Cosponsor
• Sen. Seymour, John [R-CA] · R · Cosponsor
• Sen. Heflin, Howell [D-AL] · D · Cosponsor
• · ssju00 · Standing

Related records

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