SB 225 - Under current law, if a jury is unable to agree upon the punishment for the offense of murder in the first degree, the court is to instruct the jury that the judge may decide upon a punishment of life imprisonment without eligibility for parole or a sentence of death.

This act repeals the provision that a judge may decide upon a punishment of death if the jury is unable to agree.

This act is identical to SB 1169 (2024), SB 687 (2023), SB 825 (2022), HB 1746 (2022), HB 2700 (2022), SB 341 (2021), SB 920 (2020), SB 288 (2019), and SB 996 (2018).

KATIE O'BRIEN

Statutes affected:
Introduced (0451S.01): 565.030

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Senate Committee Minutes:
SENATE COMMITTEE MINUTES Bill No.: SB 225
Sponsor: Coleman
Hearing Date: 2/18/2025


COMMITTEE: General Laws

CHAIRMAN: Trent

DATE REFERRED: 2/3/2025 DATE HEARING REQUESTED:



STAFF:
Bryce Beal
Victoria Hooker
Scott Svagera


WITNESSES GIVING INFORMATION:



WITNESSES FOR:
Jeff Stack - Mid-Missouri Fellowship of Reconciliation
Brian Bernskoetter - Missouri Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
Jeremy LaFaver - Empower Missouri
Samuel Lee - Missouri Catholic Conference
Sharon Geuea Jones - Missourians to Abolish the Death Penalty


WITNESSES AGAINST: