The Thin Blue Line Act would add a new aggravating factor to federal death-penalty considerations. Specifically, it would insert a new paragraph (17) into 18 U.S.C. 3592(c), allowing prosecutors to seek the death penalty in federal murder cases when the victim is a public safety officer (such as a law enforcement officer, prosecutor, firefighter, or other first responder) who was killed or targeted in connection with their official duties, or because of their official status. In short, the bill makes it easier to pursue capital punishment in federal cases where a public safety officer is killed or targeted due to their duties or status. The provision defines who qualifies as a public safety officer and the circumstances under which the aggravating factor applies, tying the possibility of the death penalty to the officer’s duties, the performance of those duties, or their status as a public official or employee.
Key Points
- 1Adds a new aggravating factor (18 U.S.C. 3592(c)(17)) for the death penalty in federal murder cases.
- 2The aggravating factor applies when a defendant killed or attempted to kill a person authorized to enforce, investigate, adjudicate, or incarcerate criminal offenders, or to be a firefighter or other first responder.
- 3The aggravating factor applies if the victim was killed or targeted:
- 4- while performing official duties,
- 5- because of the performance of official duties, or
- 6- because of the victim’s status as a public official or employee.
- 7The bill situates this within the existing framework for imposing the federal death penalty, adding criteria prosecutors may rely on during sentencing.
- 8The measure is a federal proposal (applies to federal cases) and does not create new crimes, but changes when the death penalty may be pursued in cases involving public safety officers.