2019 -- H 5329

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LC001331

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2019

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO CRIMINAL PROCEDURE

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Serpa, Amore, Ackerman, McKiernan, and Caldwell

     Date Introduced: February 07, 2019

     Referred To: House Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Title 12 of the General Laws entitled "CRIMINAL PROCEDURE" is

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hereby amended by adding thereto the following chapter:

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CHAPTER 33

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CLAIMS FOR WRONGFUL CONVICTION AND IMPRISONMENT

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     12-33-1. Legislative intent.

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     (a) The general assembly finds that innocent persons who have been wrongfully

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convicted of crimes through no fault of their own have been uniquely victimized, and are

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deserving of consideration and remuneration for this miscarriage of justice.

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     (b) For the purposes of this chapter, a "wrongful conviction" is a finding of guilt by a jury

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or judge, later proven incorrect, which results in incarceration for more than one year.

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     12-33-2. Statement of claim for compensation.

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     (a) In order to present an actionable claim pursuant to this chapter, the claimant must

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establish by documentary evidence that:

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     (1) Claimant has been convicted of one or more crimes and, as a result of the conviction,

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was sentenced to a term of imprisonment and has served all or part of said sentence; and

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     (2) On grounds not inconsistent with innocence:

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     (i) Claimant was pardoned of the crime or crimes upon which claimant was sentenced

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and which are the grounds for the complaint; or

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     (ii) The judgment of conviction was vacated; or

 

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     (iii) The judgment of conviction was reversed; and

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     (iv) The accusatory instrument was dismissed; and

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     (3) The claim is not time-barred by the provisions of this chapter.

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     (b) The claims shall be verified by the claimant; and

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     (c) If the court determines after an examination of the claim that the claimant has not

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alleged sufficient facts to succeed at trial it shall dismiss the claim, either on its own motion or on

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the state's motion.

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     12-33-3. Presentation of claim.

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     All claims of wrongful conviction and imprisonment under this chapter shall be presented

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to and heard by the presiding justice of the superior court.

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     12-33-4. Judgment and award.

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     (a) In order to obtain a judgment in their favor, the claimant must prove by a

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preponderance of the evidence that:

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     (1) Claimant was convicted of one or more crimes, and subsequently sentenced to a term

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of imprisonment for more than one year, and has served all or any part of the sentence; and

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     (i) Claimant has been pardoned for the crime or crimes upon which claimant was

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sentenced, and which are the grounds for the complaint; or

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     (ii) Claimant's judgment of conviction was reversed or vacated and the accusatory

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instrument was dismissed, and

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     (2) Claimant did not commit any of the crimes charged in the accusatory instrument; and

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     (3) Claimant did not commit or suborn perjury, or fabricate evidence to cause or bring

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about their own conviction.

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     (4) Neither a confession nor an admission later found to be false or a guilty plea shall

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constitute committing or suborning perjury, fabricating evidence or causing or bringing about the

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conviction under this subsection; and

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     (b) If the court finds that the claimant was wrongfully convicted and incarcerated

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pursuant to this section the court shall grant:

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     (1) An award for wrongful conviction and incarceration calculated at fifty thousand

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dollars ($50,000) at the time of release and paid for each year and portion of year served in a

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correctional facility. The award may be expanded to include, at the discretion of the court, in the

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interest of justice:

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     (i) Release from any child support payments owed to the state by the claimant that

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became due, and interest on child support arrearages that accrued, during the time served in

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prison but were not paid as well as reasonable attorneys' fees where legal proceedings are

 

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required to remedy outstanding obligations resulting from an order to pay child support;

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     (ii) Compensation for any reasonable costs, not exceeding the pro rata award, incurred by

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the claimant for immediate services secured upon exoneration and release, including housing,

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transportation, subsistence, re-integrative services, and mental and physical health care costs

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incurred by the claimant for the time period between the claimant’s release from wrongful

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incarceration and the date of claimant's award; and

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     (iii) Reasonable attorneys' fees for bringing a claim under this chapter calculated at a rate

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of fifteen percent (15%) of the total amount awarded. Any such fees granted shall not be

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deducted from the compensation due to the claimant, nor is counsel entitled to receive additional

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fees from the client.

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     (c) No damages or amounts awarded pursuant to this chapter shall be subject to:

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     (1) Any cap or limit that may be applicable to private parties in civil lawsuits;

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     (2) Any taxes, except for those portions of the judgment awarded as attorneys' fees for

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bringing a claim under this chapter; or

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     (3) Treatment as gross income to a claimant under the provisions of title 44; or

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     (4) The claimant shall not receive compensation for any period of incarceration during

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which the claimant was concurrently serving a sentence for a conviction of another crime for

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which such claimant was lawfully incarcerated.

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     (d) The acceptance by a claimant of any such award, compromise, or settlement shall:

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     (1) Be memorialized in writing;

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     (2) Except when procured by fraud, be final and conclusive on the claimant.

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     (e) The court shall, upon determining that the claimant is entitled to compensation under

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this chapter, forward to the general treasurer an inventory and description of the award, including

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any attorneys' fees awarded, for disbursement.

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     (f)(1) If at the time of the judgment entry referred to in subsection (b) of this section, the

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claimant has won a monetary award as the result of a federal civil rights lawsuit under federal

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statute 42 U.S.C. § 1983, the amount of the award in the action or the amount received in the

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settlement agreement, less any sums paid to attorneys or for costs litigating the other civil action

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or obtaining the settlement agreement, shall be deducted from the sum of money to which the

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claimant is entitled under this section.

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     (2) If subsection (f)(1) does not apply and if, after the time of the judgment entry referred

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to in subsection (b) of this section, the claimant wins a monetary award as the result of a federal

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civil rights lawsuit under federal statute 42 U.S.C. § 1983, the claimant shall reimburse the state

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for the sum of money paid under the judgment entry referred to in subsection (b) of this section,

 

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less any sums paid to attorneys or for costs in litigation the other civil action or obtaining the

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settlement agreement. A reimbursement required under this subsection shall not exceed the

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amount of the monetary award the claimant wins for damages in the other civil action or the

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amount received in the settlement agreement.

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     12-33-5. Funding.

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     Any awards, amounts, or fees awarded pursuant to the provisions of this chapter shall, at

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the direction of the court be provided by the general treasurer from the general fund.

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     12-33-6. Non-exclusivity.

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     The provisions of this chapter shall not be construed to prohibit a person who has been

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wrongfully convicted and incarcerated as a result of the misfeasance or malfeasance on the part of

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the state or any of its political subdivisions from seeking compensation or relief pursuant to any

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other action or suit authorized by law.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO CRIMINAL PROCEDURE

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     This act would create an action at law authorizing any person who has been sentenced to

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a term of imprisonment greater than one year subsequent to being wrongfully convicted of a

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criminal offense to petition the presiding justice of the superior court for an award of

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compensation and damages, including attorney's fees.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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