Maine Revised Statutes Title 15 Sec. 1027 – Standards for release for formerly capital offenses
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1. In general. At the initial appearance before a judicial officer of a defendant in custody preconviction for a formerly capital offense, the judicial officer shall issue an order under section 1026, unless the attorney for the State moves for a Harnish bail proceeding. If the attorney for the State requests a Harnish bail proceeding before bail has been set, the judicial officer shall order the defendant held pending a hearing under subsection 2. The attorney for the State may move for a Harnish bail proceeding at any time preconviction. If the attorney for the State moves for a Harnish bail proceeding after bail has been set, the court may hold the defendant pending a hearing under subsection 2 or may continue the defendant’s bail.
[PL 1987, c. 758, §20 (NEW).]
Terms Used In Maine Revised Statutes Title 15 Sec. 1027
- Bail: Security given for the release of a criminal defendant or witness from legal custody (usually in the form of money) to secure his/her appearance on the day and time appointed.
- bail: means the obtaining of the release of the defendant upon an undertaking that the defendant shall appear at the time and place required and that the defendant shall conform to each condition imposed in accordance with section 1026 that is designed to ensure that the defendant shall refrain from any new criminal conduct, to ensure the integrity of the judicial process and to ensure the safety of others in the community. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 15 Sec. 1003
- Capital offense: A crime punishable by death.
- Continuance: Putting off of a hearing ot trial until a later time.
- Court: means any Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court or Superior Court or any active retired justice and any District Court Judge or active retired judge when assigned under Title 4, section 157?C. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 15 Sec. 1003
- Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
- Discovery: Lawyers' examination, before trial, of facts and documents in possession of the opponents to help the lawyers prepare for trial.
- 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.
- Harnish bail proceeding: means a preconviction bail proceeding in which the State is offered the opportunity to obtain a judicial finding of probable cause that the defendant has committed a formerly capital offense, and the defendant, at the same proceeding, is afforded the opportunity to know and rebut the case against the defendant. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 15 Sec. 1003
- Hearsay: Statements by a witness who did not see or hear the incident in question but heard about it from someone else. Hearsay is usually not admissible as evidence in court.
- Judicial officer: includes the court, as defined in subsection 2, and a bail commissioner. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 15 Sec. 1003
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- New criminal conduct: refers to criminal activity by a defendant occurring after bail has been set. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 15 Sec. 1003
- Preconviction: means any point in a criminal proceeding before a verdict in the context of a jury trial or finding of guilty in the context of a jury-waived trial or before the acceptance of a plea of guilty or nolo contendere. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 15 Sec. 1003
- Probable cause: A reasonable ground for belief that the offender violated a specific law.
- Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
2. Harnish bail proceeding. A Harnish bail proceeding must be held within 5 court days of the State’s request unless the court, for good cause shown and at the request of either the defendant or the attorney for the State, grants a continuance. Evidence presented at a Harnish bail proceeding may include testimony, affidavits and other reliable hearsay evidence as permitted by the court. If, after the hearing, the court finds probable cause to believe that the defendant has committed a formerly capital offense, it shall issue an order under subsection 3. If, after the hearing, the court does not find probable cause to believe that the defendant’s alleged criminal conduct was formerly a capital offense, it shall issue an order under section 1026 and may amend its bail order as provided under section 1026, subsection 3, paragraph C.
[PL 1995, c. 356, §6 (AMD).]
3. When conditional right has been extinguished at Harnish bail proceeding. The court’s finding that probable cause exists to believe that the defendant committed a formerly capital offense extinguishes the defendant’s right to have bail set. The court shall make a determination as to whether or not the setting of bail is appropriate as a matter of discretion. The court may set bail unless the State establishes by clear and convincing evidence that:
A. There is a substantial risk that the capital defendant will not appear at the time and place required or will otherwise pose a substantial risk to the integrity of the judicial process; [PL 2007, c. 374, §11 (AMD).]
B. There is a substantial risk that the capital defendant will pose a danger to another or to the community; or [PL 1997, c. 543, §8 (AMD).]
C. There is a substantial risk that the capital defendant will commit new criminal conduct. [PL 1997, c. 543, §9 (NEW).]
In exercising its discretion, the court shall consider the factors listed in section 1026. If the court has issued a bail order on the basis of its discretionary authority to set bail in a case involving a formerly capital offense, the court having jurisdiction of the case may modify or deny bail at any time upon motion by the attorney for the State or the defendant or upon its own initiative and upon a showing of changed circumstances or the discovery of new and significant information.
[PL 2007, c. 374, §11 (AMD).]
SECTION HISTORY
PL 1987, c. 758, §20 (NEW). PL 1995, c. 356, §6 (AMD). PL 1997, c. 543, §§8,9 (AMD). PL 2007, c. 374, §11 (AMD).