FINAL REPORT TO THE DELAWARE GENERAL ASSEMBLY’S CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPROVEMENT COMMITTEE OFFICIAL COMMENTARY Volume 2 March 22, 2019 DELAWARE GENERAL ASSEMBLY’S CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPROVEMENT COMMITTEE CODE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT Working Group Adam L. Balick, Esq. Judge William C. Carpenter, Jr. Robert Goff, Esq. Ipek Kurul Medford, Esq. Lisa Minutola, Esq. R./ Colonel Elmer Setting Chief Justice Leo E. Strine, Jr. Judge Ferris W. Wharton Staff1 Matthew G. Kussmaul, Consulting Attorney Ilya Rudyak, Legislative Director John S. Grimm, Esq. Ashley Tucker, Esq. 1 Special acknowledgement and appreciation is due to Professor Paul H. Robinson, Colin S. Diver Professor of Criminal Law at University of Pennsylvania Law School for his immense contribution to development of the Preliminary Report on which this Final Report is largely based. SUMMARY OF CONTENTS Page SUMMARY OF CONTENTS .......................................................................................................................................................... i TABLE OF CONTENTS .............................................................................................................................................................. iii SUBPART A: THE GENERAL PART ............................................................................................................................ 1 PRELIMINARY PROVISIONS...................................................................................................................................... 1 CHAPTER 1. PRELIMINARY PROVISIONS ................................................................................................... 1 REQUIREMENTS OF OFFENSE LIABILITY ...................................................................................................... 23 CHAPTER 2. BASIC REQUIREMENTS OF OFFENSE LIABILITY ..................................................... 23 CHAPTER 3. GENERAL DEFENSES ..................................................................................................................... 43 SUBCHAPTER I. JUSTIFICATION DEFENSES ........................................................................................... 43 SUBCHAPTER II. EXCUSE DEFENSES .......................................................................................................... 57 SUBCHAPTER III. NONEXCULPATORY DEFENSES ............................................................................. 65 LIABILITY OF ORGANIZATIONS .......................................................................................................................... 71 CHAPTER 4. LIABILITY OF ORGANIZATIONS ........................................................................................ 71 INCHOATE OFFENSES ................................................................................................................................................. 73 CHAPTER 5. INCHOATE OFFENSES ............................................................................................................... 73 OFFENSE GRADES AND THEIR IMPLICATIONS .......................................................................................... 82 CHAPTER 6. OFFENSE GRADES AND THEIR IMPLICATIONS ........................................................ 82 SUBPART B: SPECIFIC OFFENSES ............................................................................................................................ 94 CHAPTER 10. OFFENSES AGAINST THE PERSON ...................................................................................... 94 SUBCHAPTER I. HOMICIDE OFFENSES ....................................................................................................... 94 SUBCHAPTER II. ROBBERY, ASSAULT, ENDANGERMENT, AND THREAT OFFENSES 103 SUBCHAPTER III. SEXUAL OFFENSES ..................................................................................................... 121 SUBCHAPTER IV. KIDNAPPING, COERCION, RESTRAINT, AND RELATED OFFENSES .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 132 CHAPTER 11. PROPERTY OFFENSES .............................................................................................................. 136 SUBCHAPTER I. THEFT OFFENSES ............................................................................................................. 136 SUBCHAPTER II. FORGERY AND FRAUDULENT PRACTICES .................................................... 147 SUBCHAPTER III. ARSON AND OTHER PROPERTY DAMAGE OFFENSES ........................... 161 SUBCHAPTER IV. BURGLARY AND OTHER CRIMINAL TRESPASS OFFENSES ............... 171 CHAPTER 12. OFFENSES AGAINST PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION .................................................... 174 SUBCHAPTER I. BRIBERY, IMPROPER INFLUENCE, AND OFFICIAL MISCONDUCT .... 174 SUBCHAPTER II. PERJURY AND OTHER OFFICIAL FALSIFICATION OFFENSES ............ 179 SUBCHAPTER III. OFFENSES INVOLVING OBSTRUCTION OF GOVERNMENTAL OPERATIONS; ESCAPE ........................................................................................................................................ 183 CHAPTER 13. OFFENSES AGAINST PUBLIC HEALTH, ORDER, AND DECENCY ................... 193 SUBCHAPTER I. OFFENSES AGAINST PUBLIC ORDER AND SAFETY ................................... 193 SUBCHAPTER II. PUBLIC INDECENCY AND OBSCENITY OFFENSES .................................... 201 SUBCHAPTER III. INVASION OF PRIVACY OFFENSES ................................................................... 210 SUBCHAPTER IV. OFFENSES AGAINST CHILDREN AND THE FAMILY................................ 218 SUBCHAPTER V. GAMBLING OFFENSES ................................................................................................ 226 CHAPTER 14. CRIME CONTROL OFFENSES ............................................................................................... 231 SUBCHAPTER I. OFFENSES INVOLVING FIREARMS AND OTHER DEADLY WEAPONS .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 231 SUBCHAPTER II. DRUG AND RELATED OFFENSES .......................................................................... 243 SUBCHAPTER III. OFFENSES INVOLVING ORGANIZED CRIME AND RACKETEERING .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 257 CONFORMING AMENDMENTS GENERAL COMMENT .......................................................................... 262 Appendix A: SUMMARY GRADING TABLE ......................................................................................................... 263 Appendix B: CONVERSION TABLE BY CURRENT PROVISION................................................................ 286 ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Subpart A. General provisions Chapter 1. Preliminary Provisions Section 101. Short Title Section 102. Applicability to offense committed before [effective date of this Act] Section 103. Definitions Section 104. Principle of Construction; General Purposes Section 105. All Offenses Defined by Statute; Applicability Section 106. Civil Remedies Preserved; No Merger with Civil Injury Section 107. State Criminal Jurisdiction Section 108. Burdens of Proof; Permissive Inferences Section 109. Words of Gender or Number Chapter 2. Basic Requirements of Offense Liability Section 201. Basis of Liability Section 202. Offense Elements Defined Section 203. Causal Relationship Between Conduct and Result Section 204. Requirement of a Voluntary Act; Omission Liability; Possession Liability Section 205. Culpability Requirements Section 206. Ignorance or Mistake Negating Required Culpability Section 207. Mental Illness or Disorder Negating Required Culpability Section 208. Consent Section 209. Conviction When the Defendant Satisfies the Requirements of More than One Offense or Grade Section 210. Accountability for the Conduct of Another Section 211. Voluntary Intoxication Section 212. Divergence Between Consequences Intended or Risked and Actual Consequences Chapter 3. General Defenses Subchapter I. Justification defenses Section 301. General Provisions Governing Justification Defenses Section 302. Choice of Evils Section 303. Execution of Public Duty Section 304. Law Enforcement Authority Section 305. Conduct of Persons with Special Responsibility for Care, Discipline, or Safety of Others Section 306. Defense of Person iii Section 307. Defense of Property Subchapter II. Excuse defenses Section 321. General Provisions Governing Excuse Defenses Section 322. Involuntary Act; Involuntary Omission Section 323. Mental Illness Section 324. Involuntary Intoxication Section 325. Duress Section 326. Ignorance Due to Unavailable Law Section 327. Reliance Upon Official Misstatement of Law Section 328. Reasonable Mistake of Law Unavoidable by Due Diligence Section 329. Mistake as to a Justification Subchapter III. Nonexculpatory defenses Section 341. General Provisions Governing Nonexculpatory Defenses Section 342. Prosecution Barred if Not Commenced Within Time Limitation Period Section 343. Entrapment Section 344. Prior Prosecution for Same Offense as a Bar to Present Prosecution Section 345. Prior Prosecution for Different Offense as a Bar to Present Prosecution Section 346. Prior Prosecution by Another Jurisdiction as a Bar to Present Prosecution Section