Grassley, Ossoff Introduce Justice for Murder Victims Act

WASHINGTON – Senate Judiciary Committee members Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) today reintroduced the Justice for Murder Victims Act. Their bipartisan proposal seeks to eliminate the 13th century “year-and-a-day” rule, which prohibits homicide prosecutions if the victim died more than a year-and-a-day from the date of the defendant’s assault. Identical legislation is being introduced in the House of Representatives today by Reps Tom Tiffany (R-Wis.) and Hank Johnson (D-Ga.).

 

“No victim should be denied justice simply because modern medicine helped to delay for an arbitrary period of time their death from injuries sustained from an attack. Our bill will fix this archaic rule and ensure murderers are brought to justice and families get the closure they deserve,” Grassley said.

 

“Murderers and violent criminals must be held accountable. Our bipartisan legislation will help secure justice for homicide victims and their families,” Ossoff said.

 

Many states have already abolished the rule, recognizing that modern medicine has helped more victims live more than a “year-and-a-day” past their assault. Grassley and Ossoff’s bipartisan proposal would amend the rule so there is no maximum prosecutorial time period between the assault and death of the victim – ensuring murder victims are not denied justice in the federal system due to an outdated rule.

 

Text of the bill is available HERE.

 

The bipartisan Justice for Murder Victims Act is supported by the

Association of Prosecuting Attorneys, the Iowa County Attorneys Association, the Lower Muskogee Creek Tribe, the Major Cities Chiefs Association, Murder Accountability Project, the National Association of Assistant U.S. Attorneys, the National District Attorneys Association, the National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center and the National Organization of Parents of Murdered Children.

 

“The Iowa County Attorneys Association supports the elimination of the archaic ‘year and a day rule’ that currently stands in the way of justice for the families of homicide victims. It’s time to modernize this rule. We thank Senators Grassley and Ossoff for helping crime victims and their families receive the justice they deserve,” said Jessica A. Reynolds, Executive Director, Iowa County Attorneys Association.

“NDAA is proud to support Senator Grassley and Senator Ossoff as they introduce the Justice for Murder Victims Act. This legislation updates an archaic rule that limits the ability of Federal prosecutors to hold offenders accountable and provide justice for victims and their families. We look forward to moving this bipartisan proposal through Congress at a time when violent crime is plaguing communities across the country,” said Nelson Bunn, Executive Director, National District Attorneys Association.

 

“The idea that a murderer can escape culpability if their victim takes more than a year to pass is archaic and unjust. Modern medicine provides numerous ways for victims to continue fighting for their life long after their attack. When a victim loses the fight more than a year out, their loved ones should not be denied justice as a result. Every state to reconsider the common law year and a day rule has come to the same conclusion and abolished it. We urge Congress to do the same by passing this bill into law. NAAUSA thanks Senator Grassley for leading this effort on behalf of murder victims,” said NAAUSA President Steve Wasserman.

 

“Today, Native women are murdered at rates higher than any other population in the United States. The National Indigenous Women's Resource Center (NIWRC) is grateful to Senators Grassley and Ossoff for their work on and introduction of the Justice for Murder Victims Act. The elimination of the year and a day rule will remove what currently serves as a logistical barrier to the service of justice for murder victims nationwide, and if passed into law, will result in one less barrier that exists to keeping Native women and children safe,” said Lucy R. Simpson, Executive Director of National Indigenous Women's Resource Center.

 

Earlier this year, Grassley and Ossoff also introduced the Preventing Child Sex Abuse Act to improve justice for victims of child sex crimes.