Bill > S400

Introduced Session

This bill requires the Attorney General to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate law enforcement officers against whom a criminal complaint has been filed in connection with the performance of the officer's duties and prosecute charges of misconduct and brutality. A special prosecutor appointed under the provisions of the bill would have all the power and authority of the county prosecutor. The special prosecutor is authorized to investigate the alleged crimes, appear before the county criminal courts and grand juries, prepare and try indictments, and represent the State in appeals of the criminal cases in State courts. The special prosecutor also may appoint temporary assistants, aides, investigators, or other personnel and incur any necessary expenses. According to the sponsor, this bill is intended to address the perception of bias in police misconduct investigations. Because of recent high-profile decisions by grand juries not to charge police officers in cases of police-involved fatalities, the public does not trust county prosecutors to investigate the local police officers with whom they regularly work and rely upon to prepare cases and serve as witnesses. Under the bill, these cases would be handled by a special prosecutor.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Peter Barnes (D)*,  Ronald Rice (D)*,  Loretta Weinberg (D), 

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Law and Public Safety Committee (on 01/12/2016)