S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
1011
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
January 10, 2017
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Introduced by M. of A. PRETLOW -- read once and referred to the Commit-
tee on Codes
AN ACT to amend the penal law, in relation to creating the crime of
prosecutorial misconduct
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The penal law is amended by adding three new sections
195.25, 195.30 and 195.35 to read as follows:
§ 195.25 PROSECUTORIAL MISCONDUCT IN THE THIRD DEGREE.
A PROSECUTOR IS GUILTY OF PROSECUTORIAL MISCONDUCT IN THE THIRD DEGREE
WHEN HE OR SHE KNOWINGLY WITHHOLDS INFORMATION WHICH WILL PROVE THE
INNOCENCE OF A PERSON CHARGED WITH OR CONVICTED OF A MISDEMEANOR.
PROSECUTORIAL MISCONDUCT IN THE THIRD DEGREE IS A CLASS E FELONY.
§ 195.30 PROSECUTORIAL MISCONDUCT IN THE SECOND DEGREE.
A PROSECUTOR IS GUILTY OF PROSECUTORIAL MISCONDUCT IN THE SECOND
DEGREE WHEN HE OR SHE KNOWINGLY WITHHOLDS INFORMATION WHICH WILL PROVE
THE INNOCENCE OF A PERSON CHARGED WITH OR CONVICTED OF A CLASS E, D OR C
FELONY.
PROSECUTORIAL MISCONDUCT IN THE SECOND DEGREE IS A CLASS B FELONY.
§ 195.35 PROSECUTORIAL MISCONDUCT IN THE FIRST DEGREE.
A PROSECUTOR IS GUILTY OF PROSECUTORIAL MISCONDUCT IN THE FIRST DEGREE
WHEN HE OR SHE KNOWINGLY WITHHOLDS INFORMATION WHICH WILL PROVE THE
INNOCENCE OF A PERSON CHARGED WITH OR CONVICTED OF A CLASS B OR A FELO-
NY.
PROSECUTORIAL MISCONDUCT IN THE FIRST DEGREE IS A CLASS A FELONY.
§ 2. The penal law is amended by adding a new section 70.12 to read as
follows:
§ 70.12 SENTENCE OF IMPRISONMENT FOR PROSECUTORIAL MISCONDUCT.
1. UPON CONVICTION FOR PROSECUTORIAL MISCONDUCT IN THE THIRD DEGREE,
AS SPECIFIED IN SECTION 195.25 OF THIS CHAPTER, THE TERM OF IMPRISONMENT
SHALL BE AT LEAST ONE YEAR AND MUST NOT EXCEED TWO YEARS.
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04464-01-7
A. 1011 2
2. UPON CONVICTION FOR PROSECUTORIAL MISCONDUCT IN THE SECOND DEGREE
AS SPECIFIED IN SECTION 195.30 OF THIS CHAPTER, THE TERM OF IMPRISONMENT
SHALL BE TWICE THE SENTENCE IMPOSED UPON THE INDIVIDUAL WRONGLY
CONVICTED OR THE TERM OF IMPRISONMENT WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN IMPOSED UPON
THE INDIVIDUAL WRONGLY CHARGED.
3. UPON CONVICTION FOR PROSECUTORIAL MISCONDUCT IN THE FIRST DEGREE,
AS SPECIFIED IN SECTION 195.35 OF THIS CHAPTER, THE TERM OF IMPRISONMENT
SHALL BE TWICE THE SENTENCE IMPOSED UPON THE INDIVIDUAL WRONGLY
CONVICTED OR THE TERM OF IMPRISONMENT WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN IMPOSED UPON
THE INDIVIDUAL WRONGLY CHARGED, IN THE CASE OF LIFE IMPRISONMENT, THE
SENTENCE SHALL BE LIFE IMPRISONMENT.
§ 3. This act shall take effect on the first of November next succeed-
ing the date on which it shall have become a law.