Connecticut General Statutes 46b-133d – Serious homicide, firearm or sexual offender prosecution. Sentencing
(a) For the purposes of this section, “special juvenile probation” means a period of probation imposed by the superior court for juvenile matters upon a child in a proceeding designated as a serious homicide, firearm or sexual offender prosecution during which the child is supervised by a juvenile probation officer prior to such child attaining eighteen years of age and by an adult probation officer after such child attains eighteen years of age.
Terms Used In Connecticut General Statutes 46b-133d
- Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
- Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
- Child: means any person under eighteen years of age who has not been legally emancipated, except that (A) for purposes of delinquency matters and proceedings, "child" means any person who (i) is at least ten years of age at the time of the alleged commission of a delinquent act and who is (I) under eighteen years of age and has not been legally emancipated, or (II) eighteen years of age or older and committed a delinquent act prior to attaining eighteen years of age, or (ii) is subsequent to attaining eighteen years of age, (I) violates any order of the Superior Court or any condition of probation ordered by the Superior Court with respect to a delinquency proceeding, or (II) wilfully fails to appear in response to a summons under §. See Connecticut General Statutes 46b-120
- Docket: A log containing brief entries of court proceedings.
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
- Nolo contendere: No contest-has the same effect as a plea of guilty, as far as the criminal sentence is concerned, but may not be considered as an admission of guilt for any other purpose.
- Plea: In a criminal case, the defendant's statement pleading "guilty" or "not guilty" in answer to the charges, a declaration made in open court.
- Probable cause: A reasonable ground for belief that the offender violated a specific law.
- Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.
- Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
(b) Whenever a child is referred for (1) the commission of any crime of (A) murder or manslaughter in the first degree, (B) a violation of § 53a-56a, 53a-60a, 53a-60c, 53a-92a, 53a-94a, 53a-102a, 53a-103a or 53a-212, or (C) a violation of § 53a-59, 53a-101 or 53a-136a if such violation involved the use of a firearm, or (2) the commission of any crime of a sexual nature, and such case is not transferred to the regular criminal docket pursuant to § 46b-127, the prosecutorial official may request the court to designate the proceeding as a serious homicide, firearm or sexual offender prosecution.
(c) If a prosecutorial official requests that a proceeding be designated as a serious homicide, firearm or sexual offender prosecution, the court shall hold a hearing not later than thirty days after the filing of such request unless good cause is shown by the prosecutorial official or by the child as to why the hearing should not be held within such period. If good cause is shown, the hearing shall be held not later than ninety days after the filing of such request. The court shall decide whether to designate the proceeding as a serious homicide, firearm or sexual offender prosecution not later than thirty days after the completion of such hearing. The court shall grant the request to designate the proceeding as a serious homicide, firearm or sexual offender prosecution if the court finds probable cause to believe the child has committed the felony act charged and the prosecutorial official shows by clear and convincing evidence that such designation will serve the public safety. The decision to designate the proceeding as a serious homicide, firearm or sexual offender prosecution shall not be a final judgment for purposes of appeal.
(d) A proceeding designated as a serious homicide, firearm or sexual offender prosecution pursuant to subsection (c) of this section shall be held before the court without a jury provided the child has waived the right to a trial by jury. If a child is convicted of or pleads guilty or nolo contendere to a charge in a proceeding that has been designated as a serious homicide, firearm or sexual offender prosecution, the court shall: (1) Sentence the child in accordance with § 46b-140, provided such sentence may be extended for a period not to exceed sixty months, (2) sentence the child to a period of special juvenile probation of at least five years, to commence upon the release of the child from the institution, agency or program in whose care the child had been placed, and (3) sentence the child in accordance with § 53a-28 with the execution of such sentence stayed on the condition that the child not violate the conditions of the sentence imposed pursuant to subdivisions (1) and (2) of this subsection or commit a subsequent crime.
(e) Whenever there is probable cause to believe that a child who has been sentenced pursuant to subsection (d) of this section has violated the conditions of the sentence imposed pursuant to subdivision (2) of said subsection or has committed a subsequent crime, the court may issue a warrant for the arrest of the child for a violation of the conditions of the sentence imposed pursuant to subsection (d) of this section and may order that the child be taken into custody in accordance with the provisions of sections 46b-125 and 53a-32. If such violation of probation or subsequent crime occurs prior to the person attaining eighteen years of age, the matter shall be handled by the superior court for juvenile matters. If such violation of probation or subsequent crime occurs after the person has attained eighteen years of age, the matter shall be handled by the regular criminal docket of the Superior Court. Whenever such matter is handled by the superior court for juvenile matters, the court shall notify the child and such child’s parent or guardian and the attorney of record, if any, in writing of the reasons alleged to exist for the lifting of the stay of execution of the sentence imposed pursuant to subdivision (3) of subsection (d) of this section. If the child challenges such reasons, the court shall hold a hearing at which the child shall be entitled to be heard and be represented by counsel. After such hearing, if the court finds that (1) the child has violated the conditions of the sentence imposed pursuant to subdivision (2) of subsection (d) of this section, (2) committed a subsequent crime, or (3) by clear and convincing evidence that the best interest of the community cannot be served by continued supervision by the superior court for juvenile matters or in the community, it shall order the child to serve a sentence not to exceed that imposed pursuant to subdivision (3) of subsection (d) of this section unless it determines there are mitigating circumstances that justify continuing the stay of execution and specifically states such mitigating circumstances in writing for the record. The child shall receive credit against any sentence imposed pursuant to subdivision (3) of subsection (d) of this section for time served in a juvenile facility pursuant to the sentence imposed pursuant to subdivision (1) of said subsection.
(f) When a proceeding has been designated as a serious homicide, firearm or sexual offender prosecution pursuant to subsection (c) of this section and the child does not waive the right to a trial by jury, the court shall transfer the case from the docket for juvenile matters to the regular criminal docket of the Superior Court. Upon transfer, such child shall stand trial and be sentenced, if convicted, as if such child were eighteen years of age, subject to the provisions of § 54-91g, except that no such child shall be placed in a correctional facility but shall be maintained in a facility for children and youths until such child attains eighteen years of age or until such child is sentenced, whichever occurs first. Such child shall receive credit against any sentence imposed for time served in a juvenile facility prior to the effectuation of the transfer. A child who has been transferred may enter a guilty plea to a lesser offense if the court finds that such plea is made knowingly and voluntarily. Any child transferred to the regular criminal docket who pleads guilty to a lesser offense shall not resume such child’s status as a juvenile regarding such offense. If the action is dismissed or nolled or if such child is found not guilty of the charge for which such child was transferred, the child shall resume such child’s status as a juvenile until such child attains eighteen years of age.