0001|                           SENATE BILL 1124
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0002|     43rd legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 1997
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0003|                            INTRODUCED BY
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0004|                          FERNANDO R. MACIAS
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0005|     
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0006|                                   
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0007|     
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0008|      FOR THE COURTS, CORRECTIONS AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE COMMITTEE
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0009|     
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0010|                                AN ACT
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0011|     RELATING TO CAPITAL FELONY SENTENCING; REQUIRING A PROSECUTING
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0012|     ATTORNEY TO PROVIDE NOTICE OF HIS INTENT TO SEEK A SENTENCE OF
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0013|     DEATH IN A CAPITAL FELONY CASE; ENSURING ADEQUATE LEGAL
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0014|     REPRESENTATION FOR DEFENDANTS FACING A SENTENCE OF DEATH;
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0015|     ENACTING A NEW SECTION OF THE NMSA 1978; MAKING AN
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0016|     APPROPRIATION.
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0017|     
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0018|     BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:
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0019|          Section 1.  A new section of Chapter 31, Article 20A NMSA
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0020|     1978 is enacted to read:
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0021|          "[<u>NEW MATERIAL</u>] NOTICE OF INTENT TO SEEK A SENTENCE OF
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0022|     DEATH--APPOINTMENT OF ATTORNEYS FOR DEFENDANTS FACING A
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0023|     SENTENCE OF DEATH.--
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0024|               A.  If the prosecuting attorney in a capital felony
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0025|     case concludes that the circumstances of the capital felony are
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0001|     such that the imposition of a sentence of death for the
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0002|     defendant is justified, the prosecuting attorney shall, within
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0003|     twenty days of arraignment unless extended by the court for
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0004|     good cause shown, sign and file with the court and serve on the
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0005|     defendant a notice that states the following:
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0006|                    (1) that the state has concluded that the
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0007|     circumstances of the capital felony are such that, if the
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0008|     defendant is found guilty of the capital felony, the imposition
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0009|     of a sentence of death is justified and the state will seek a
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0010|     sentence of death for the defendant; and
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0011|                    (2) a summary of the aggravating circumstances
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0012|     the state will attempt to prove to support the imposition of a
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0013|     sentence of death for the defendant.
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0014|               B.  The court may permit the prosecuting attorney to
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0015|     amend the notice upon a showing of good cause.
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0016|               C.  Upon the filing of a notice of intent to seek a
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0017|     sentence of death in a capital felony case by the prosecuting
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0018|     attorney, the court shall appoint at least two attorneys to
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0019|     represent the defendant in the capital felony case.  One of the
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0020|     appointed attorneys shall be experienced and knowledgeable in
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0021|     the substantive and procedural law regarding capital felony
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0022|     cases, determined pursuant to criteria adopted by the supreme
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0023|     court.
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0024|               D.  If an appointed attorney is not a full-time
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0025|     employee of the public defender department, the court shall
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0001|     order compensation for the attorney's services in the capital
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0002|     felony case at the rate provided to attorneys for contractual
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0003|     services rendered to the state pursuant to the Tort Claims Act. 
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0004|     
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0005|               E.  The court may approve, during an ex parte
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0006|     hearing, a request by an appointed attorney to receive payment
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0007|     for the purpose of providing investigative and expert
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0008|     assistance to a defendant in a capital felony case, provided
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0009|     the court finds that the investigative and expert assistance is
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0010|     reasonably related to providing effective assistance of counsel
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0011|     to the defendant." 
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0012|          Section 2.  EFFECTIVE DATE.--The effective date of the
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0013|     provisions of this act is July 1, 1997.
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0014|                                    
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0015|   
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0016|                      FORTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE
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0017|                        FIRST SESSION, 1997
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0018|   
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0019|   
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0020|                                                  March 10, 1997
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0021|   
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0022|   Mr. President:
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0023|   
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0024|       Your JUDICIARY COMMITTEE, to whom has been referred
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0025|   
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0001|                          SENATE BILL 1124
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0002|   
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0003|   has had it under consideration and reports same with
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0004|   recommendation that it DO PASS.
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0005|   
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0006|                                Respectfully submitted,
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0007|   
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0008|   
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0009|   
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0010|                                
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0011|   __________________________________
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0012|                                Fernando R. Macias, Chairman 
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0013|   
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0014|   
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0015|   
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0016|   Adopted_______________________   Not
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0017|   Adopted_______________________
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0018|             (Chief Clerk)                          (Chief Clerk)
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0019|   
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0020|   
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0021|   
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0022|                     Date ________________________
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0023|   
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0024|   
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0025|   The roll call vote was <u> 6 </u> For <u> 1 </u> Against
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0001|           Yes:    6
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0002|           No:     Vernon
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0003|                Excused:     Sanchez
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0004|           Absent: None
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0005|   
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0006|   
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0007|   S1124JU1
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