(1) An inmate convicted
of murder may petition the indeterminate sentence review board to
review the inmate's sentence if the petition alleges the
following:
(a) The inmate was sentenced for a murder committed prior to
July 23, 1989, which was the effective date of section 1, chapter
408, Laws of 1989, as codified in RCW 9.94A.535(1)(h). RCW 9.94A.535(1)(h) provides that the sentencing court may consider
as a mitigating factor evidence that the defendant or the
defendant's children suffered a continuing pattern of physical or
sexual abuse by the victim of the offense and the offense was a
response to that abuse;
(b) RCW 9.94A.535(1)(h), if effective when the defendant
committed the crime, would have provided a basis for the
defendant to seek a mitigated sentence; and
(c) The sentencing court when determining what sentence to
impose, did not consider evidence that the victim subjected the
defendant or the defendant's children to a continuing pattern of
sexual or physical abuse and the murder was in response to that
abuse.
(2) An inmate who seeks to have his or her sentence reviewed
under this section must petition the board for review no later
than October 1, 1993. The petition may be by letter requesting
review.
(3)(a) If the inmate was convicted of a murder committed
prior to July 1, 1984, and the inmate is under the jurisdiction
of the indeterminate sentence review board, the board shall
conduct the review as provided in RCW 9.95.047. If the inmate
was sentenced pursuant to chapter 9.94A RCW for a murder
committed after June 30, 1984, but before July 23, 1989, the
board shall conduct the review and may make appropriate
recommendations to the sentencing court as provided in RCW 9.94A.890. The board shall complete its review of the petitions
and submit recommendations to the sentencing courts or their
successors by October 1, 1994.
(b) When reviewing petitions, the board shall solicit
recommendations from the prosecuting attorneys of the counties
where the petitioners were convicted, and shall accept input from
other interested parties.
[1993 c 144 § 1.]
NOTES:
Effective date -- 1993 c 144: "This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect immediately [April 30, 1993]." [1993 c 144 § 7.]