This bill amends section 29-1401 of the Reissue Revised Statutes of Nebraska to establish new protocols for grand jury proceedings in cases where a death occurs during the apprehension or custody of law enforcement. It mandates the appointment of a special prosecutor with at least five years of experience in criminal litigation, who will oversee the investigation of such cases. Additionally, the bill requires that a team of three peace officers, trained in homicide investigations, be selected by the special prosecutor, with at least two officers coming from jurisdictions outside the one where the death occurred. The bill also stipulates that a grand jury must be impaneled within thirty days of the coroner's certification of the death.

Furthermore, the bill introduces a provision that prohibits any law enforcement officer or detention personnel involved in the death from returning to duty until the grand jury has completed its investigation. It clarifies that a special prosecutor is not required in cases where the death is certified to be from natural causes, allowing the county attorney to present such findings to the grand jury without the need for an investigative team. The original section of the law is repealed to accommodate these changes.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 29-1401