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SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1491 FILED ON: 1/21/2011 SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 774
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts _________________ PRESENTED BY: Susan C. Fargo _______________ To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the passage of the accompanying: An Act relative to victims rights. _______________ PETITION OF:
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1491 FILED ON: 1/21/2011 SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 774
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
An Act relative to victims rights. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows: SECTION 1. Chapter 228 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 14 the following section:- Section 15. The death of a criminal defendant who is convicted of a criminal offense shall automatically terminate the right to appeal or any appeal pending of such conviction, and where such conviction has not been previously vacated or reversed by an order or decision of a court, the judgment of conviction shall stand. This section shall not preclude the attorney general or district attorney from commencing an action to vacate the conviction judgment against a deceased defendant in the interest of justice. |
