45th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2001

RELATING TO CRIMINAL SENTENCING; AMENDING THE DEFINITION OF "VIOLENT FELONY" FOR THE PURPOSE OF SENTENCING A PERSON CONVICTED OF THREE VIOLENT FELONIES TO A TERM OF LIFE IMPRISONMENT; AMENDING A SECTION OF THE NMSA 1978.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

Section 1. Section 31-18-23 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1994, Chapter 24, Section 2, as amended) is amended to read:

"31-18-23. THREE VIOLENT FELONY CONVICTIONS--MANDATORY LIFE IMPRISONMENT--EXCEPTION.--

A. When a defendant is convicted of a third violent felony, and each violent felony conviction is part of a separate transaction or occurrence, and at least the third violent felony conviction is in New Mexico, the defendant shall, in addition to the sentence imposed for the third violent conviction when that sentence does not result in death, be punished by a sentence of life imprisonment. The life imprisonment sentence shall be subject to parole pursuant to the provisions of Section 31-21-10 NMSA 1978.

B. The sentence of life imprisonment shall be imposed after a sentencing hearing, separate from the trial or guilty plea proceeding resulting in the third violent felony conviction, pursuant to the provisions of Section 31-18-24 NMSA 1978.

C. For the purpose of this section, a violent felony conviction incurred by a defendant before he reaches the age of eighteen shall not count as a violent felony conviction.

D. When a defendant has a felony conviction from another state, the felony conviction shall be considered a violent felony for the purposes of the Criminal Sentencing Act if that crime would be considered a violent felony in New Mexico.

E. As used in the Criminal Sentencing Act,

[(1) "great bodily harm" means an injury to the person that creates a high probability of death or that causes serious disfigurement or that results in permanent loss or impairment of the function of any member or organ of the body; and

(2) "violent felony" means:

(a) murder in the first or second degree, as provided in Section 30-2-1 NMSA 1978;

(b) shooting at or from a motor vehicle resulting in great bodily harm, as provided in Subsection B of Section 30-3-8 NMSA 1978;

(c) kidnapping resulting in great bodily harm inflicted upon the victim by his captor, as provided in Subsection B of Section 30-4-1 NMSA 1978; and

(d) criminal sexual penetration, as provided in Subsection C or Paragraph (5) or (6) of Subsection D of Section 30-9-11 NMSA 1978; and

(e) robbery while armed with a deadly weapon resulting in great bodily harm as provided in Section 30-16-2 NMSA 1978 and Subsection A of Section 30-1-12 NMSA 1978] "violent felony" means a first or second degree felony that involves the use or threatened use of force or violence."

Section 2. EFFECTIVE DATE.--The effective date of the provisions of this act is July 1, 2001.