HB255

Kentucky HB255 modifies criminal procedure by requiring juries to determine sentences in non-felony cases.

Kentucky HB255 introduces changes to criminal procedure, specifically in non-felony cases. It mandates that juries, upon a guilty or guilty but mentally ill verdict, conduct a sentencing hearing. The jury recommends the sentence, whether it should be served concurrently or consecutively, and considers various factors such as prior convictions, the nature of prior offenses, and the impact on victims. The defendant can present mitigating evidence, and if the jury cannot agree on a sentence, the judge imposes the sentence.