Goodlatte Statement at Markup of the Thin Blue Line Act

Washington, D.C. – House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) today delivered the following remarks during the House Judiciary Committee’s markup of the Thin Blue Line Act (H.R. 115). Chairman Goodlatte: Current law provides a list of sixteen aggravating factors a jury is required to consider when deciding whether a death sentence is warranted in a particular case.  These factors include whether the defendant acted in an especially heinous, cruel, or depraved manner; whether the defendant engaged in substantial planning and premeditation; whether the victim was particularly vulnerable; or whether the victim was a “high public official”. “High public official,” for purposes of the statute, includes a litany of high-ranking public persons, from the President to a foreign head of state to a judge or law enforcement officer.  Currently, however, the law only contains specific protections for Federal officers, not state or local officers. H.R. 115, the “Thin Blue Line Act,” amends Federal law to add the killing of a state or local law enforcement officer as an aggravating factor for a jury to determine during the sentencing phase of a trial, when the jury is considering whether a sentence of death is justified. This legislation enjoys broad support in the law enforcement community.  And it is easy to understand why.  From Seattle to Dallas to New York City, in recent years, police officers have laid down their lives in the service of their communities.  They serve every day, often with little to no recognition or support.  According to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, 41 police officers have died in the line of duty already this year. Now, it is true that the scenarios where this provision applies may be limited.  It is true that the vast majority of homicide cases are prosecuted in state courts.  It is also true that the circumstances where a defendant killed a state or local law enforcement officer during the commission of a Federal capital offense are probably limited. But this legislation is nevertheless vitally important in the scenarios where it will apply.  For example, it would likely apply in some terrorism cases.  We all remember that the terrorists who bombed the Boston Marathon killed a MIT police officer during their flight from justice.  It also would apply to situations where a state or local officer is killed serving as a member of a Federal task force. Moreover, this legislation sends a simple message: the stalking and killing of law enforcement officers must not and will not be tolerated. H.R. 115 is a good bill, which will provide the men and women of law enforcement, who serve and protect our communities every day, with the support they deserve. As we move towards the 2017 Police Week, I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation.