§1121 Killing Persons Aiding Federal Investigations or State Correctional Officers

Summary

Killing certain people who are helping federal criminal investigations can lead to life in prison or the death penalty. If someone intentionally kills a state or local official, a law enforcement officer, or another employee who is working with federal law enforcement on a federal criminal investigation — either while the victim is doing official work, because of that official work, or because the victim is a public servant — the killer is punished under section 1111, including by death or life imprisonment. The same punishment applies if a person is killed while they are assisting a federal criminal investigation and they are killed because of that assistance. If an incarcerated person intentionally kills a state correctional officer who is on duty or is killed because of performing duties, the prisoner must get at least 20 years in prison and can get life or the death penalty. This rule applies when the officer is transporting the prisoner across state lines or the prisoner is in custody because of a federal conviction. A "State correctional officer" means any worker at a prison, jail, or detention facility run by or under contract with a state or local government whose job includes custody of people in prison. "State" includes the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. commonwealths, territories, or possessions.