Assembly Bill A10658

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   10658
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                               May 10, 2018
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. WALLACE -- read once and referred to the Commit-
   tee on Codes
 
 AN ACT to amend the criminal procedure law, in relation to including  in
   the  court's jury charge that the jury is not to allow bias, sympathy,
   fear, public opinion, or the defendant being a member of  a  protected
   class influence their decision

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Section 300.10 of the criminal procedure law is amended  by
 adding a new subdivision 2-a to read as follows:
   2-A.  IN  ITS CHARGE, THE COURT MUST INSTRUCT THE JURY AS FOLLOWS: "DO
 NOT ALLOW ANY BIAS, SYMPATHY, FEAR, OR  PUBLIC  OPINION  INFLUENCE  YOUR
 DECISION IN ANY WAY. YOUR VERDICT MUST BE BASED SOLELY UPON THE EVIDENCE
 AT  TRIAL  AND NOT UPON THE RACE, COLOR, GENDER, NATIONAL ORIGIN, ANCES-
 TRY, RELIGION, AGE, DISABILITY, GENDER IDENTITY OR SEXUAL ORIENTATION OF
 ANY PERSON."
   § 2. This act shall take effect on the first of November next succeed-
 ing the date on which it shall have become a law.
 
 
 
 
 

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD15718-03-8