US · guidance
Justice Manual § 9-60.711
Prosecution Policy in Hostage Taking Cases When the Death Penalty is Authorized by Statute
The Federal Death Penalty Act of 1994 amended Title 18, United States Code, section 1203 to authorize imposition of the death penalty or life imprisonment when death results from a hostage taking covered by the statute. See Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, Pub. L. 103-322, Tit. VI, § 60003(a)(10), 108 Stat. 1796, 1969 (1994). In any case where a defendant is charged with a hostage taking offense for which the death penalty can be imposed, the U.S. Attorney is required to follow the procedures set out in JM 9-10.000 and transmit to the Attorney General the information required by those provisions, regardless of whether he or she actually intends to seek the death penalty.
Provenance
- Source
- justice.gov
- Retrieved
- 2026-09-20
- Edition
- jm-2026-09-20
- Content hash
2310f36ed02afa6614c692dac83c3e2b87d12466e750fc1716395a0c46365e2f
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