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GA HB682
GA HB682Criminal procedure; death penalty shall not be imposed if only evidence is testimony of a single eyewitness; provide
summary
Introduced
02/28/2025
02/28/2025
In Committee
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
2025-2026 Regular Session
Bill Summary
AN ACT To amend Article 2 of Chapter 10 of Title 17 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the death penalty generally, so as to provide that the death penalty shall not be imposed if the only evidence of the defendant's guilt is the testimony of a single eyewitness; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
AI Summary
This bill amends Georgia's death penalty law to prohibit imposing the death penalty when the sole evidence of a defendant's guilt is the testimony of a single eyewitness. The legislation recognizes the potential unreliability of eyewitness testimony, which can be influenced by factors such as memory distortion, stress, cross-racial identification challenges, and unconscious biases. By adding this provision to the existing criminal procedure code, the bill aims to reduce the risk of wrongful convictions in capital cases, ensuring that a death sentence cannot be handed down based exclusively on one person's account of a crime. This change reflects growing concerns about the fallibility of eyewitness evidence and provides an additional safeguard in the most serious criminal proceedings, where the stakes are highest and the potential for judicial error must be minimized.
Committee Categories
Justice
Sponsors (1)
Last Action
House Second Readers (on 03/04/2025)
Official Document
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.legis.ga.gov/legislation/71014 |
| BillText | https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/234579 |
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