Bill > H1494

This bill proposes to reinstitute capital punishment in the Commonwealth by amending existing laws related to murder and sentencing. It mandates that indictments for first-degree murder, where the death penalty is sought, must specify any alleged aggravating circumstances, which are specific factors that can justify a death sentence, such as the victim's status or the manner of the murder. These aggravating circumstances would only be presented to the jury during a separate sentencing phase, after a guilty verdict on the murder charge. The bill also outlines the method of execution as intravenous injection of a lethal substance and establishes provisions for the Commonwealth to provide legal services to indigent defendants facing capital punishment, including appointing qualified attorneys with specific expertise in capital cases and ensuring their compensation and reimbursement for expenses. Furthermore, it details a multi-stage process for determining a death sentence, involving jury hearings to consider both aggravating and mitigating factors, and mandates rigorous review by the Supreme Judicial Court, including an independent scientific review of evidence, to ensure the appropriateness of the death penalty. If a unanimous death sentence is not reached at any stage, or if review reveals issues, the sentence will be commuted to life imprisonment.