Bill
Bill > SB686
MO SB686
Establishes provisions allowing for freestanding claims of actual innocence
summary
Introduced
02/06/2025
02/06/2025
In Committee
03/24/2025
03/24/2025
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
05/16/2025
05/16/2025
Introduced Session
2025 Regular Session
Bill Summary
Establishes provisions allowing for freestanding claims of actual innocence
AI Summary
This bill establishes a new legal procedure in Missouri that allows individuals currently in the custody or supervision of the Department of Corrections to file a "freestanding claim of actual innocence" challenging their conviction. Under this proposed law, a court can review and potentially vacate (cancel) a previous criminal judgment if the person can provide clear and convincing evidence that fundamentally undermines the confidence in the original conviction. The court's review will consider multiple types of evidence, including information not presented during the original trial, evidence from the original trial, materials from direct appeals, and evidence from previous postconviction proceedings such as state or federal habeas actions. This provision gives convicted individuals an additional legal pathway to challenge their conviction by presenting new evidence that might prove their innocence, even after traditional appeal methods have been exhausted. The bill adds this new provision as section 547.034 to Missouri's existing legal statutes, specifically within Chapter 547, which typically deals with criminal procedure.
Committee Categories
Justice
Sponsors (1)
Last Action
Hearing Cancelled S Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence Committee (on 04/09/2025)
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
Document Type | Source Location |
---|---|
State Bill Page | https://www.senate.mo.gov/25info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&BillID=4195174 |
BillText | https://www.senate.mo.gov/25info/pdf-bill/intro/SB686.pdf |
Analysis - Summary: Introduced | https://www.senate.mo.gov/25info/BTS_Web/Summary.aspx?SessionType=R&SummaryID=591638&BillID=4195174 |
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