Title 16, Crimes and Offenses

(A) An offender convicted of a violation of this article must be ordered to pay mandatory restitution to the victim as provided in this section. (B) If the victim of trafficking dies as a result of being trafficked, a surviving spouse of the victim is eligible for restitution. If…

(A) The Attorney General shall establish an interagency task force to develop and implement a State Plan for the Prevention of Trafficking in Persons. The task force shall meet at least quarterly and should include all aspects of trafficking in persons, including sex trafficking …

(A) A person who is a victim of trafficking in persons may bring a civil action in the court of common pleas. The court may award actual damages, compensatory damages, punitive damages, injunctive relief, and other appropriate relief. A prevailing plaintiff also must be awarded a…

(A) Victims of trafficking in persons pursuant to this article are considered victims for purposes of the Victims' Bill of Rights and are entitled to all appropriate forms of compensation available pursuant to the South Carolina Victim Compensation Fund in accordance with the pro…

(A) For purposes of this section: (1) "Domestic violence shelter" means a facility whose purpose is to serve as a shelter to receive and house persons who are victims of criminal domestic violence and that provides services as a shelter. (2) "Trafficking shelter" means a confiden…

(A)(1) The following are subject to forfeiture: (a) all monies used, or intended for use, in violation of Section 16-3-2020; (b) all property constituting the proceeds obtained directly or indirectly, for a violation of Section 16-3-2020; (c) all property derived from the proceed…

(A) In all cases in which an individual is sentenced to death, the trial judge shall, before the dismissal of the jury, verbally instruct the jury concerning the discussion of its verdict. A standard written instruction shall be promulgated by the Supreme Court for use in all cap…

(A) For purposes of this section, a "mob" is defined as the assemblage of two or more persons, without color or authority of law, for the premeditated purpose and with the premeditated intent of committing an act of violence upon the person of another. (B) Any act of violence inf…

(A) The following establishments are required to post the information contained in subsection (B) regarding the National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline: (1) an establishment which has been declared a nuisance for prostitution pursuant to Chapter 43, Title 15; (2) an ad…

For purposes of this article: (1) "Facilitate" means to raise, solicit, collect, or provide material support or resources with intent that such will be used, in whole or in part, to plan, prepare, carry out, or aid in any act of female genital mutilation or hindering the prosecut…

(A) It is unlawful for a person to: (1) knowingly mutilate or attempt to mutilate a female who is under eighteen years of age or who is unable to consent; (2) knowingly facilitate the mutilation of a female who is under eighteen years of age or who is unable to consent; or (3) kn…

(A) It is not a defense to prosecution for a violation of this article that a female genital mutilation procedure is: (1) required as a matter of belief, custom, or ritual; (2) consented to by the minor or female who is unable to consent on whom the procedure is performed; or (3)…

The provisions of this article do not prohibit a person from being charged with, convicted of, or punished for any other violation of law arising out of the same transaction or occurrence as the violation of this article.

(A) Whenever the death penalty is imposed, and upon the judgment becoming final in the trial court, the sentence shall be reviewed on the record by the Supreme Court of South Carolina. The clerk of the trial court, within ten days after receiving the transcript, shall transmit th…

(A) Whenever the solicitor seeks the death penalty he shall notify the defense attorney of his intention to seek such penalty at least thirty days prior to the trial of the case. At the request of the defense attorney, the defense attorney shall be excused from all other trial du…

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, in any criminal trial where the maximum penalty is death or in a separate sentencing proceeding following such trial, the defendant and his counsel shall have the right to make the last argument.

A person who, with intent to kill, attempts to kill another person with malice aforethought, either expressed or implied, commits the offense of attempted murder. A person who violates this section is guilty of a felony, and, upon conviction, must be imprisoned for not more than …

It is unlawful for a person to challenge another to fight with a sword, pistol, rapier, or any other deadly weapon or to accept a challenge. A person who violates the provisions of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be imprisoned not more than two …

Whoever shall (a) willingly or knowingly carry or deliver any such challenge in writing or verbally deliver any message intended as, or purporting to be, such a challenge, (b) be present at the fighting of any duel as a second or (c) aid or give countenance thereto shall, for eve…

Upon the trial of all indictments for dueling any person concerned therein, either as principal or second or as counseling, aiding and abetting in such duel, shall be compelled to give evidence against the person actually indicted, without incriminating himself or subjecting or m…

When two or more persons shall be charged in any indictment for fighting a duel or being concerned therein either of such persons may be used as a witness in behalf of the State by having his name stricken out of the indictment, or otherwise, at the discretion of the Attorney Gen…

In case any such person so used as a witness in behalf of the State in any prosecution for fighting a duel or for being concerned therein shall afterwards be indicted for the same offense, the fact of his having been used as a witness in the former prosecution for the same offens…

A person who causes bodily injury which results in the death of the victim is not criminally responsible for the victim's death and must not be prosecuted for a homicide offense if at least three years intervene between the injury and the death of the victim.

A person convicted of manslaughter, or the unlawful killing of another without malice, express or implied, must be imprisoned not more than thirty years or less than two years.

It is unlawful for a person to intentionally or recklessly engage in acts which have a foreseeable potential for causing physical harm to a person for the purpose of initiation or admission into or affiliation with a chartered or nonchartered student, fraternal, or sororal organi…

It is unlawful for any person to knowingly permit or assist any person in committing acts made unlawful by Section 16-3-510 or to fail to report promptly any information within his knowledge of acts made unlawful by Section 16-3-510 to the chief executive officer of the appropria…

Any person who violates the provisions of Sections 16-3-510 or 16-3-520 is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be punished by a fine not to exceed five hundred dollars or by imprisonment for a term not to exceed twelve months, or both.

The implied or express consent of a person to acts which violate Section 16-3-510 does not constitute a defense to violations of Sections 16-3-510 or 16-3-520.

With regard to the crime of involuntary manslaughter, criminal negligence is defined as the reckless disregard of the safety of others. A person charged with the crime of involuntary manslaughter may be convicted only upon a showing of criminal negligence as defined in this secti…

(A) For purposes of this section: (1) "Great bodily injury" means bodily injury which causes a substantial risk of death or which causes serious, permanent disfigurement or protracted loss or impairment of the function of a bodily member or organ. (2) "Moderate bodily injury" mea…

If a person is convicted of an offense pursuant to Section 16-3-29, 16-3-600, or manslaughter, and the offense is committed with a deadly weapon of the character as specified in Section 16-23-460 carried or concealed upon the person of the defendant, the judge shall, in addition …

(A) Sexual battery, as defined in Section 16-3-651(h), when accomplished through use of aggravated force, defined as the use or the threat of use of a weapon or the use or threat of use of physical force or physical violence of a high and aggravated nature, by one spouse against …

A person who resists the lawful efforts of a law enforcement officer to arrest him or another person with the use or threat of use of a deadly weapon against the officer, and the person is in possession or claims to be in possession of a deadly weapon, is guilty of a felony and, …

For the purposes of Sections 16-3-651 to 16-3-659.1: (a) "Actor" means a person accused of criminal sexual conduct. (b) "Aggravated coercion" means that the actor threatens to use force or violence of a high and aggravated nature to overcome the victim or another person, if the v…

(1) A person is guilty of criminal sexual conduct in the first degree if the actor engages in sexual battery with the victim and if any one or more of the following circumstances are proven: (a) The actor uses aggravated force to accomplish sexual battery. (b) The victim submits …

(1) A person is guilty of criminal sexual conduct in the second degree if the actor uses aggravated coercion to accomplish sexual battery. (2) Criminal sexual conduct in the second degree is a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than twenty years according to the discr…

(1) A person is guilty of criminal sexual conduct in the third degree if the actor engages in sexual battery with the victim and if any one or more of the following circumstances are proven: (a) The actor uses force or coercion to accomplish the sexual battery in the absence of a…

(A) A person is guilty of criminal sexual conduct with a minor in the first degree if: (1) the actor engages in sexual battery with a victim who is less than eleven years of age; or (2) the actor engages in sexual battery with a victim who is less than sixteen years of age and th…

Assault with intent to commit criminal sexual conduct described in the above sections shall be punishable as if the criminal sexual conduct was committed.

The testimony of the victim need not be corroborated in prosecutions under Sections 16-3-652 through 16-3-658.

A person cannot be guilty of criminal sexual conduct under Sections 16-3-651 through 16-3-659.1 if the victim is the legal spouse unless the couple is living apart and the offending spouse's conduct constitutes criminal sexual conduct in the first degree or second degree as defin…

(1) Evidence of specific instances of the victim's sexual conduct, opinion evidence of the victim's sexual conduct, and reputation evidence of the victim's sexual conduct is not admissible in prosecutions under Sections 16-3-615 and 16-3-652 to 16-3-656; however, evidence of the …

Before or during the trial of a person charged with rape or assault with intent to ravish, when the female who is alleged to have been assaulted is a witness, the judge of the court in which the case is to be tried may, in his discretion, by an order direct that the deposition of…

Such deposition shall be taken by the clerk of the court of general sessions for the county in which the case is to be tried or by such other officer as the presiding judge may name in his order, at the taking of which the accused shall be present and shall have the same rights i…

The sheriff of the county shall secure the personal attendance of the accused at the time and place of taking such depositions, and the absence of either the attorney for the State or for the accused, after notice prescribed in the order, shall not prevent or delay the taking of …

Such depositions, when taken, shall be signed by the witness in the presence of the clerk or other officer taking the same, placed in a sealed envelope, the title of the case endorsed thereon, and be retained by the clerk of court until the same is opened in court; and if taken b…