WASHINGTON – Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a senior member and former chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and his committee colleague Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) applauded the unanimous Senate passage of their Justice for Murder Victims Act. The bipartisan bill would end the 13th-century “year-and-a-day” rule, which prohibits homicide prosecutions if the victim died more than a year-and-a-day after the day they were assaulted. The bill now awaits passage in the House of Representatives. 

“The power of modern medicine has made the year-and-a-day rule totally arbitrary. There’s no sense in keeping it on the books any longer. I'm grateful the Senate has passed this legislation to ensure justice is served, violent criminals are held accountable and victims’ loved ones get the closure they deserve,” Grassley said.

“Murderers and violent criminals must be held accountable. The Senate passed our bipartisan legislation to help secure justice for homicide victims and their families,” Ossoff said. 

The Justice for Murder Victims Act has garnered support from 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.

Bill text is available HERE.

Background:

The “year-and-a-day” rule is a legal principle that bars a prosecution for murder in cases where the victim dies more than 366 days after the attack. However, modern medicine and advances in life support technology have helped more victims of homicide live past the set 366-day mark. As such, many states have abolished the rule. Grassley and Ossoff’s bill would amend existing law to eliminate the year-and-a-day rule and allow homicide prosecutions at any point – ensuring justice for victims and their families.

Within the year, two related Grassley-led bills to strengthen federal laws on violent crime and support victims – the Survivors’ Bill of Rights in the States Act and the Preventing Child Sex Abuse Act of 2023 – have become law.

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