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To amend title 18, United States Code, to require the impaneling of a new jury if a jury fails to recommend by unanimous vote a sentence for conviction of a crime punishable by death.
Summary
This bill amends federal criminal law to require the impaneling of a new jury in capital cases where the first jury fails to unanimously recommend a sentence of death, life imprisonment without parole, or another lesser sentence. The bill allows the government attorney to request a new special hearing with a new jury when the initial jury cannot reach a unanimous recommendation on sentencing. If the second jury also fails to unanimously recommend a sentence, the court must impose a sentence other than death as authorized by law.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
3 cosponsors
Money behind the sponsor
Top reported contributors to Robert P. Bresnahan’s campaign committee (2024 cycle) — who funds the bill’s sponsor, not a claim about this bill. Data from FEC.
- NULL $255,976
- INVESTMENTS LIMITED $21,106
- STARKEY HEARING TECHNOLOGIES $13,200
- TFP LIMITED $11,022
- ENERGY TRANSFER PARTNERS $9,900
Organizations whose employees gave the most — itemized individual contributions grouped by the donor’s reported employer (FEC Schedule A). Full finance for Robert P. Bresnahan → · Outside spending →
Actions (2)
- Feb 25, 2025 Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary. · house
- Feb 25, 2025 Introduced in House
More bills on these subjects (8)
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Similar bills (6)
Bills with similar text or summary — includes reintroductions across Congresses. Ranked by semantic similarity of the bill text (computed locally); a neutral discovery aid, not a claim the bills are duplicates.
Text versions (1)
Bills are re-published as they move (Introduced → Reported → Engrossed → Enrolled …). Each stage below is a separate text; pick two to see what changed. Data from Congress.gov.
Full text
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 25, 2025
Mr. Bresnahan (for himself, Mr. Thompson of Pennsylvania, and Mr. Reschenthaler) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
A BILL
To amend title 18, United States Code, to require the impaneling of a new jury if a jury fails to recommend by unanimous vote a sentence for conviction of a crime punishable by death.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as “Eric’s Law”.
SEC. 2. REQUIREMENT TO IMPANEL A NEW JURY IN CERTAIN CASES.
(a) Additional Ground for Impaneling Jury.—Section 3593(b)(2) of title 18, United States Code, is amended—
(1) in subparagraph (C), by striking “or” at the end; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
“(E) a new special hearing is required pursuant to subsection (g); or”.
(b) Impaneling of New Jury When Jury Does Not Reach a Unanimous Recommendation.—Section 3593 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
“(g) Special Rule When Jury Does Not Return a Unanimous Recommendation.—
“(1) In general.—If a jury described in subsection (b)(1) or subparagraphs (A) through (D) of subsection (b)(2) does not, by unanimous vote, make a recommendation whether the defendant should be sentenced to death, to life imprisonment without possibility of release, or some other lesser sentence pursuant to subsection (e), the court, upon motion of the attorney for the government, shall order a new special hearing and impanel a new jury pursuant to subsection (b).
“(2) Imposition of sentence.—If the jury impaneled pursuant to paragraph (1) does not reach a unanimous recommendation as to sentence, the court shall impose a sentence other than death authorized by law.”. <all>
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