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U.S. Code as of:
01/19/04
Section 848. Continuing criminal enterprise
(a) Penalties; forfeitures
Any person who engages in a continuing criminal enterprise shall
be sentenced to a term of imprisonment which may not be less than
20 years and which may be up to life imprisonment, to a fine not to
exceed the greater of that authorized in accordance with the
provisions of title 18 or $2,000,000 if the defendant is an
individual or $5,000,000 if the defendant is other than an
individual, and to the forfeiture prescribed in section 853 of this
title; except that if any person engages in such activity after one
or more prior convictions of him under this section have become
final, he shall be sentenced to a term of imprisonment which may
not be less than 30 years and which may be up to life imprisonment,
to a fine not to exceed the greater of twice the amount authorized
in accordance with the provisions of title 18 or $4,000,000 if the
defendant is an individual or $10,000,000 if the defendant is other
than an individual, and to the forfeiture prescribed in section 853
of this title.
(b) Life imprisonment for engaging in continuing criminal
enterprise
Any person who engages in a continuing criminal enterprise shall
be imprisoned for life and fined in accordance with subsection (a)
of this section, if -
(1) such person is the principal administrator, organizer, or
leader of the enterprise or is one of several such principal
administrators, organizers, or leaders; and
(2)(A) the violation referred to in subsection (c)(1) of this
section involved at least 300 times the quantity of a substance
described in subsection 841(b)(1)(B) of this title, or
(B) the enterprise, or any other enterprise in which the
defendant was the principal or one of several principal
administrators, organizers, or leaders, received $10 million
dollars in gross receipts during any twelve-month period of its
existence for the manufacture, importation, or distribution of a
substance described in section 841(b)(1)(B) of this title.
(c) "Continuing criminal enterprise" defined
For purposes of subsection (a) of this section, a person is
engaged in a continuing criminal enterprise if -
(1) he violates any provision of this subchapter or subchapter
II of this chapter the punishment for which is a felony, and
(2) such violation is a part of a continuing series of
violations of this subchapter or subchapter II of this chapter -
(A) which are undertaken by such person in concert with five
or more other persons with respect to whom such person occupies
a position of organizer, a supervisory position, or any other
position of management, and
(B) from which such person obtains substantial income or
resources.
(d) Suspension of sentence and probation prohibited
In the case of any sentence imposed under this section,
imposition or execution of such sentence shall not be suspended,
probation shall not be granted, and the Act of July 15, 1932 (D.C.
Code, secs. 24-203 - 24-207), shall not apply.
(e) Death penalty
(1) In addition to the other penalties set forth in this section
-
(A) any person engaging in or working in furtherance of a
continuing criminal enterprise, or any person engaging in an
offense punishable under section 841(b)(1)(A) of this title or
section 960(b)(1) of this title who intentionally kills or
counsels, commands, induces, procures, or causes the intentional
killing of an individual and such killing results, shall be
sentenced to any term of imprisonment, which shall not be less
than 20 years, and which may be up to life imprisonment, or may
be sentenced to death; and
(B) any person, during the commission of, in furtherance of, or
while attempting to avoid apprehension, prosecution or service of
a prison sentence for, a felony violation of this subchapter or
subchapter II of this chapter who intentionally kills or
counsels, commands, induces, procures, or causes the intentional
killing of any Federal, State, or local law enforcement officer
engaged in, or on account of, the performance of such officer's
official duties and such killing results, shall be sentenced to
any term of imprisonment, which shall not be less than 20 years,
and which may be up to life imprisonment, or may be sentenced to
death.
(2) As used in paragraph (1)(b),(!1) the term "law enforcement
officer" means a public servant authorized by law or by a
Government agency or Congress to conduct or engage in the
prevention, investigation, prosecution or adjudication of an
offense, and includes those engaged in corrections, probation, or
parole functions.
(g) (!2) Hearing required with respect to death penalty
A person shall be subjected to the penalty of death for any
offense under this section only if a hearing is held in accordance
with this section.
(h) Notice by Government in death penalty cases
(1) Whenever the Government intends to seek the death penalty for
an offense under this section for which one of the sentences
provided is death, the attorney for the Government, a reasonable
time before trial or acceptance by the court of a plea of guilty,
shall sign and file with the court, and serve upon the defendant, a
notice -
(A) that the Government in the event of conviction will seek
the sentence of death; and
(B) setting forth the aggravating factors enumerated in
subsection (n) of this section and any other aggravating factors
which the Government will seek to prove as the basis for the
death penalty.
(2) The court may permit the attorney for the Government to amend
this notice for good cause shown.
(i) Hearing before court or jury
(1) When the attorney for the Government has filed a notice as
required under subsection (h) of this section and the defendant is
found guilty of or pleads guilty to an offense under subsection (e)
of this section, the judge who presided at the trial or before whom
the guilty plea was entered, or any other judge if the judge who
presided at the trial or before whom the guilty plea was entered is
unavailable, shall conduct a separate sentencing hearing to
determine the punishment to be imposed. The hearing shall be
conducted -
(A) before the jury which determined the defendant's guilt;
(B) before a jury impaneled for the purpose of the hearing if -
(i) the defendant was convicted upon a plea of guilty;
(ii) the defendant was convicted after a trial before the
court sitting without a jury;
(iii) the jury which determined the defendant's guilt has
been discharged for good cause; or
(iv) after initial imposition of a sentence under this
section, redetermination of the sentence under this section is
necessary; or
(C) before the court alone, upon the motion of the defendant
and with the approval of the Government.
(2) A jury impaneled under paragraph (1)(B) shall consist of 12
members, unless, at any time before the conclusion of the hearing,
the parties stipulate with the approval of the court that it shall
consist of any number less than 12.
(j) Proof of aggravating and mitigating factors
Notwithstanding rule 32(c) of the Federal Rules of Criminal
Procedure, when a defendant is found guilty of or pleads guilty to
an offense under subsection (e) of this section, no presentence
report shall be prepared. In the sentencing hearing, information
may be presented as to matters relating to any of the aggravating
or mitigating factors set forth in subsections (m) and (n) of this
section, or any other mitigating factor or any other aggravating
factor for which notice has been provided under subsection
(h)(1)(B) of this section. Where information is presented relating
to any of the aggravating factors set forth in subsection (n) of
this section, information may be presented relating to any other
aggravating factor for which notice has been provided under
subsection (h)(1)(B) of this section. Information presented may
include the trial transcript and exhibits if the hearing is held
before a jury or judge not present during the trial, or at the
trial judge's discretion. Any other information relevant to such
mitigating or aggravating factors may be presented by either the
Government or the defendant, regardless of its admissibility under
the rules governing admission of evidence at criminal trials,
except that information may be excluded if its probative value is
substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice,
confusion of the issues, or misleading the jury. The Government and
the defendant shall be permitted to rebut any information received
at the hearing and shall be given fair opportunity to present
argument as to the adequacy of the information to establish the
existence of any of the aggravating or mitigating factors and as to
appropriateness in that case of imposing a sentence of death. The
Government shall open the argument. The defendant shall be
permitted to reply. The Government shall then be permitted to reply
in rebuttal. The burden of establishing the existence of any
aggravating factor is on the Government, and is not satisfied
unless established beyond a reasonable doubt. The burden of
establishing the existence of any mitigating factor is on the
defendant, and is not satisfied unless established by a
preponderance of the evidence.
(k) Return of findings
The jury, or if there is no jury, the court, shall consider all
the information received during the hearing. It shall return
special findings identifying any aggravating factors set forth in
subsection (n) of this section, found to exist. If one of the
aggravating factors set forth in subsection (n)(1) of this section
and another of the aggravating factors set forth in paragraphs (2)
through (12) of subsection (n) of this section is found to exist, a
special finding identifying any other aggravating factor for which
notice has been provided under subsection (h)(1)(B) of this
section, may be returned. A finding with respect to a mitigating
factor may be made by one or more of the members of the jury, and
any member of the jury who finds the existence of a mitigating
factor may consider such a factor established for purposes of this
subsection, regardless of the number of jurors who concur that the
factor has been established. A finding with respect to any
aggravating factor must be unanimous. If an aggravating factor set
forth in subsection (n)(1) of this section is not found to exist or
an aggravating factor set forth in subsection (n)(1) of this
section is found to exist but no other aggravating factor set forth
in subsection (n) of this section is found to exist, the court
shall impose a sentence, other than death, authorized by law. If an
aggravating factor set forth in subsection (n)(1) of this section
and one or more of the other aggravating factors set forth in
subsection (n) of this section are found to exist, the jury, or if
there is no jury, the court, shall then consider whether the
aggravating factors found to exist sufficiently outweigh any
mitigating factor or factors found to exist, or in the absence of
mitigating factors, whether the aggravating factors are themselves
sufficient to justify a sentence of death. Based upon this
consideration, the jury by unanimous vote, or if there is no jury,
the court, shall recommend that a sentence of death shall be
imposed rather than a sentence of life imprisonment without
possibility of release or some other lesser sentence. The jury or
the court, regardless of its findings with respect to aggravating
and mitigating factors, is never required to impose a death
sentence and the jury shall be so instructed.
(l) Imposition of sentence
Upon the recommendation that the sentence of death be imposed,
the court shall sentence the defendant to death. Otherwise the
court shall impose a sentence, other than death, authorized by law.
A sentence of death shall not be carried out upon a person who is
under 18 years of age at the time the crime was committed. A
sentence of death shall not be carried out upon a person who is
mentally retarded. A sentence of death shall not be carried out
upon a person who, as a result of mental disability -
(1) cannot understand the nature of the pending proceedings,
what such person was tried for, the reason for the punishment, or
the nature of the punishment; or
(2) lacks the capacity to recognize or understand facts which
would make the punishment unjust or unlawful, or lacks the
ability to convey such information to counsel or to the court.
(m) Mitigating factors
In determining whether a sentence of death is to be imposed on a
defendant, the finder of fact shall consider mitigating factors,
including the following:
(1) The defendant's capacity to appreciate the wrongfulness of
the defendant's conduct or to conform conduct to the requirements
of law was significantly impaired, regardless of whether the
capacity was so impaired as to constitute a defense to the
charge.
(2) The defendant was under unusual and substantial duress,
regardless of whether the duress was of such a degree as to
constitute a defense to the charge.
(3) The defendant is punishable as a principal (as defined in
section 2 of title 18) in the offense, which was committed by
another, but the defendant's participation was relatively minor,
regardless of whether the participation was so minor as to
constitute a defense to the charge.
(4) The defendant could not reasonably have foreseen that the
defendant's conduct in the course of the commission of murder, or
other offense resulting in death for which the defendant was
convicted, would cause, or would create a grave risk of causing,
death to any person.
(5) The defendant was youthful, although not under the age of
18.
(6) The defendant did not have a significant prior criminal
record.
(7) The defendant committed the offense under severe mental or
emotional disturbance.
(8) Another defendant or defendants, equally culpable in the
crime, will not be punished by death.
(9) The victim consented to the criminal conduct that resulted
in the victim's death.
(10) That other factors in the defendant's background or
character mitigate against imposition of the death sentence.
(n) Aggravating factors for homicide
If the defendant is found guilty of or pleads guilty to an
offense under subsection (e) of this section, the following
aggravating factors are the only aggravating factors that shall be
considered, unless notice of additional aggravating factors is
provided under subsection (h)(1)(B) of this section:
(1) The defendant -
(A) intentionally killed the victim;
(B) intentionally inflicted serious bodily injury which
resulted in the death of the victim;
(C) intentionally engaged in conduct intending that the
victim be killed or that lethal force be employed against the
victim, which resulted in the death of the victim;
(D) intentionally engaged in conduct which -
(i) the defendant knew would create a grave risk of death
to a person, other than one of the participants in the
offense; and
(ii) resulted in the death of the victim.
(2) The defendant has been convicted of another Federal
offense, or a State offense resulting in the death of a person,
for which a sentence of life imprisonment or a sentence of death
was authorized by statute.
(3) The defendant has previously been convicted of two or more
State or Federal offenses punishable by a term of imprisonment of
more than one year, committed on different occasions, involving
the infliction of, or attempted infliction of, serious bodily
injury upon another person.
(4) The defendant has previously been convicted of two or more
State or Federal offenses punishable by a term of imprisonment of
more than one year, committed on different occasions, involving
the distribution of a controlled substance.
(5) In the commission of the offense or in escaping
apprehension for a violation of subsection (e) of this section,
the defendant knowingly created a grave risk of death to one or
more persons in addition to the victims of the offense.
(6) The defendant procured the commission of the offense by
payment, or promise of payment, of anything of pecuniary value.
(7) The defendant committed the offense as consideration for
the receipt, or in the expectation of the receipt, of anything of
pecuniary value.
(8) The defendant committed the offense after substantial
planning and premeditation.
(9) The victim was particularly vulnerable due to old age,
youth, or infirmity.
(10) The defendant had previously been convicted of violating
this subchapter or subchapter II of this chapter for which a
sentence of five or more years may be imposed or had previously
been convicted of engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise.
(11) The violation of this subchapter in relation to which the
conduct described in subsection (e) of this section occurred was
a violation of section 859 of this title.
(12) The defendant committed the offense in an especially
heinous, cruel, or depraved manner in that it involved torture or
serious physical abuse to the victim.
(o) Right of defendant to justice without discrimination
(1) In any hearing held before a jury under this section, the
court shall instruct the jury that in its consideration of whether
the sentence of death is justified it shall not consider the race,
color, religious beliefs, national origin, or sex of the defendant
or the victim, and that the jury is not to recommend a sentence of
death unless it has concluded that it would recommend a sentence of
death for the crime in question no matter what the race, color,
religious beliefs, national origin, or sex of the defendant, or the
victim, may be. The jury shall return to the court a certificate
signed by each juror that consideration of the race, color,
religious beliefs, national origin, or sex of the defendant or the
victim was not involved in reaching his or her individual decision,
and that the individual juror would have made the same
recommendation regarding a sentence for the crime in question no
matter what the race, color, religious beliefs, national origin, or
sex of the defendant, or the victim, may be.
(2) Not later than one year from November 18, 1988, the
Comptroller General shall conduct a study of the various procedures
used by the several States for determining whether or not to impose
the death penalty in particular cases, and shall report to the
Congress on whether or not any or all of the various procedures
create a significant risk that the race of a defendant, or the race
of a victim against whom a crime was committed, influence the
likelihood that defendants in those States will be sentenced to
death. In conducting the study required by this paragraph, the
General Accounting Office shall -
(A) use ordinary methods of statistical analysis, including
methods comparable to those ruled admissible by the courts in
race discrimination cases under title VII of the Civil Rights Act
of 1964 [42 U.S.C. 2000e et seq.];
(B) study only crimes occurring after January 1, 1976; and
(C) determine what, if any, other factors, including any
relation between any aggravating or mitigating factors and the
race of the victim or the defendant, may account for any evidence
that the race of the defendant, or the race of the victim,
influences the likelihood that defendants will be sentenced to
death. In addition, the General Accounting Office shall examine
separately and include in the report, death penalty cases
involving crimes similar to those covered under this section.
(p) Sentencing in capital cases in which death penalty is not
sought or imposed
If a person is convicted for an offense under subsection (e) of
this section and the court does not impose the penalty of death,
the court may impose a sentence of life imprisonment without the
possibility of parole.
(q) Appeal in capital cases; counsel for financially unable
defendants
(1) In any case in which the sentence of death is imposed under
this section, the sentence of death shall be subject to review by
the court of appeals upon appeal by the defendant. Notice of appeal
must be filed within the time prescribed for appeal of judgment in
section 2107 of title 28. An appeal under this section may be
consolidated with an appeal of the judgment of conviction. Such
review shall have priority over all other cases.
(2) On review of the sentence, the court of appeals shall
consider the record, the evidence submitted during the trial, the
information submitted during the sentencing hearing, the procedures
employed in the sentencing hearing, and the special findings
returned under this section.
(3) The court shall affirm the sentence if it determines that -
(A) the sentence of death was not imposed under the influence
of passion, prejudice, or any other arbitrary factor; and
(B) the information supports the special finding of the
existence of every aggravating factor upon which the sentence was
based, together with, or the failure to find, any mitigating
factors as set forth or allowed in this section.
In all other cases the court shall remand the case for
reconsideration under this section. The court of appeals shall
state in writing the reasons for its disposition of the review of
the sentence.
(4)(A) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the
contrary, in every criminal action in which a defendant is charged
with a crime which may be punishable by death, a defendant who is
or becomes financially unable to obtain adequate representation or
investigative, expert, or other reasonably necessary services at
any time either -
(i) before judgment; or
(ii) after the entry of a judgment imposing a sentence of death
but before the execution of that judgment;
shall be entitled to the appointment of one or more attorneys and
the furnishing of such other services in accordance with paragraphs
(5), (6), (7), (8), and (9).
(B) In any post conviction proceeding under section 2254 or 2255
of title 28 seeking to vacate or set aside a death sentence, any
defendant who is or becomes financially unable to obtain adequate
representation or investigative, expert, or other reasonably
necessary services shall be entitled to the appointment of one or
more attorneys and the furnishing of such other services in
accordance with paragraphs (5), (6), (7), (8), and (9).
(5) If the appointment is made before judgment, at least one
attorney so appointed must have been admitted to practice in the
court in which the prosecution is to be tried for not less than
five years, and must have had not less than three years experience
in the actual trial of felony prosecutions in that court.
(6) If the appointment is made after judgment, at least one
attorney so appointed must have been admitted to practice in the
court of appeals for not less than five years, and must have had
not less than three years experience in the handling of appeals in
that court in felony cases.
(7) With respect to paragraphs (5) and (6), the court, for good
cause, may appoint another attorney whose background, knowledge, or
experience would otherwise enable him or her to properly represent
the defendant, with due consideration to the seriousness of the
possible penalty and to the unique and complex nature of the
litigation.
(8) Unless replaced by similarly qualified counsel upon the
attorney's own motion or upon motion of the defendant, each
attorney so appointed shall represent the defendant throughout
every subsequent stage of available judicial proceedings, including
pretrial proceedings, trial, sentencing, motions for new trial,
appeals, applications for writ of certiorari to the Supreme Court
of the United States, and all available post-conviction process,
together with applications for stays of execution and other
appropriate motions and procedures, and shall also represent the
defendant in such competency proceedings and proceedings for
executive or other clemency as may be available to the defendant.
(9) Upon a finding that investigative, expert, or other services
are reasonably necessary for the representation of the defendant,
whether in connection with issues relating to guilt or the
sentence, the court may authorize the defendant's attorneys to
obtain such services on behalf of the defendant and, if so
authorized, shall order the payment of fees and expenses therefor
under paragraph (10). No ex parte proceeding, communication, or
request may be considered pursuant to this section unless a proper
showing is made concerning the need for confidentiality. Any such
proceeding, communication, or request shall be transcribed and made
a part of the record available for appellate review.
(10)(A) Compensation shall be paid to attorneys appointed under
this subsection at a rate of not more than $125 per hour for
in-court and out-of-court time. Not less than 3 years after April
24, 1996, the Judicial Conference is authorized to raise the
maximum for hourly payment specified in the paragraph up to the
aggregate of the overall average percentages of the adjustments in
the rates of pay for the General Schedule made pursuant to section
5305 of title 5 on or after April 24, 1996. After the rates are
raised under the preceding sentence, such hourly range may be
raised at intervals of not less than one year, up to the aggregate
of the overall average percentages of such adjustments made since
the last raise under this paragraph.
(B) Fees and expenses paid for investigative, expert, and other
reasonably necessary services authorized under paragraph (9) shall
not exceed $7,500 in any case, unless payment in excess of that
limit is certified by the court, or by the United States magistrate
judge, if the services were rendered in connection with the case
disposed of entirely before such magistrate judge, as necessary to
provide fair compensation for services of an unusual character or
duration, and the amount of the excess payment is approved by the
chief judge of the circuit. The chief judge of the circuit may
delegate such approval authority to an active circuit judge.
(C) The amounts paid under this paragraph for services in any
case shall be disclosed to the public, after the disposition of the
petition.
(r) Refusal to participate by State and Federal correctional
employees
No employee of any State department of corrections or the Federal
Bureau of Prisons and no employee providing services to that
department or bureau under contract shall be required, as a
condition of that employment, or contractual obligation to be in
attendance at or to participate in any execution carried out under
this section if such participation is contrary to the moral or
religious convictions of the employee. For purposes of this
subsection, the term "participation in executions" includes
personal preparation of the condemned individual and the apparatus
used for execution and supervision of the activities of other
personnel in carrying out such activities.
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