§60901 Case File Review

Summary

The head of an agency must review a cold-case murder file when one designated person sends a written request. The review must decide within 6 months whether a full reinvestigation would likely produce useful leads or identify a likely suspect. The agency must confirm receipt and tell the applicant their rights as soon as reasonably possible. Only one review at a time is allowed for the same victim, and the reviewer cannot be someone who worked the original investigation. The review must check for missed investigative steps, decide if witnesses should be (re)interviewed, examine physical evidence for further forensic testing, and update the file with current investigative standards. If the case does not meet cold-case criteria, the agency head must send a written statement to the applicant saying a full review is not needed because all useful leads are exhausted or a likely suspect will not be identified. The agency may extend the 6-month limit one time for up to 6 more months if the workload makes the deadline impractical, and must notify the applicant with an explanation.