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Susie Cambria

From: Sleiman, Feras (EOM) [Feras.Sleiman@dc.gov]

Sent: Friday, February 06, 2009 11:01 AM
To: Sleiman, Feras (EOM)
Subject: NEWS: Fenty Administration Strengthens Anti-Crime Bill

Government of the District of Columbia

Executive Office of the Mayor

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Feras Sleiman

February 6, 2009 202-251-8829 (cell)

Fenty Administration Strengthens Anti-Crime Bill

City reintroduces Omnibus Anti-Crime Amendment
to further protect District youth and residents from violent crimes

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Mayor Adrian M. Fenty today reintroduced the Omnibus Anti-Crime
Amendment Act with revised provisions aimed at strengthening measures to limit gang activity,
enforcing compliance among gun offenders, and cracking down on illegal gun possession. The
legislation was first introduced last October and is the result of a sustained partnership between the
Fenty Administration and the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia to update various
requirements of the criminal code.

The new provisions will create a registry to effectively supervise gun offenders and provide
confidentiality protections for juvenile gang members. More importantly, the bill focuses efforts to deter
at-risk youth from gang involvement by connecting them to programs that steer them toward positive
life choices. The bill also makes it illegal to knowingly possess a firearm in a vehicle.

“Protecting the lives of District residents and youth is a top priority,” said Mayor Fenty. “We’re
reintroducing this legislation to send a clear message that the District will use all the tools at its disposal
to fight crime in our city.” He added, “This measure also ensures at-risk youth have alternative options
that prevent violence among of kids.”

"The purpose of this bill is twofold -- to keep repeat violent offenders off our streets and save lives. It is
well known that an overwhelming majority of the homicides that are committed are committed by those
who've been arrested before,” said Metropolitan Police Department Chief Lanier.

According to Attorney General Nickles, “This bill contains necessary amendments and provisions that
are essential to protecting citizens and our youth from senseless crimes. Would-be criminals should
think twice about their actions, because the District is not going to make it easy for them to harm our
residents. Through this legislation, the administration will strengthen District laws to crackdown on
criminal activities.”

The Omnibus Anti-Crime Amendment Act of 2009 represents the District’s commitment to fighting

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crime on behalf of the 600,000 citizens living in the city. With tougher laws that increase penalties for
violent crimes, the District can effectively send a message to criminals in an effort to deter potential
crimes from even taking place.

Highlights of the Omnibus Anti-Crime Amendment Act of 2009

Violent Crime and Gangs
• Authorizes the issuance of civil injunctions against gangs involved in criminal activity.
• Helps juveniles renounce gang involvement and provides opportunities to reintegrate youth into
the community.
• Provides a five year penalty for using a stolen vehicle to commit a violent crime.

Penalties for Guns

• Provides a mandatory minimum of five years for possession of a firearm if the offender was
previously convicted of a violent crime.
• Creates a gun offender registry requiring gun offenders to register with MPD and issues
penalties for non-compliance.
• Creates a new offense for illegally possessing a firearm in a vehicle.
• Enhances court authority to detain gun offenders before trial.
• Adds felon-in-possession of a firearm and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence to
list of offenses where there is a refutable presumption of dangerousness.

Statutory Modifications
• Revises stalking law to make it consistent with legislation written by the National Center for
Victims of Crime.
• Requires expanded sentencing penalties for repeat drunk drivers be calculated from the date of
the prior conviction to the date of the subsequent offense, rather than to the date of the
subsequent conviction.
• Adds penalty for false reports of abuse to CFSA.
• Revises consent defense definition in sexual assault statute.
• Revises identity theft and theft statutes to include broader scope of conduct.

Witness Retaliation
• Prohibits the disclosure of names and addresses of victims of certain crimes on police reports,
including domestic crimes, violent crimes, stalking, and threats. Also allows members of the
public to request police reports that are otherwise made confidential by this provision and
establishes standards for police chief to use when reviewing requests.
• Adds retaliatory threats to injure to the obstruction of justice statute.

DNA

Expands list of DNA sample offenses (crimes for which convicted defendants have to give DNA
samples) from current list of violent and serious felonies to all felonies.

Drugs
• Makes fresh khat a Schedule I drug.

Procedural

Defines daylight in the warrant statute as 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. (Currently it is not defined and special
permission is required to serve warrants after sundown).

Expands arrests without warrant offenses (offenses where officer can arrest based on probable

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cause when officer has not actually witnessed crime) to include destruction of property and
voyeurism.

Makes unlawful entry a non-jury demandable offense (exempts First Amendment activity).

Amends detention hearing statute to allow postponement on New Year’s Day, Christmas Day and
Thanksgiving.

Expands mandatory HIV testing for criminal defendants to require testing at any time after a
preliminary hearing.

Privileges

Amends marital privilege law to prohibit claim of privilege by a spouse accused of domestic
violence or other criminal offense prior to the marriage.

Expands exceptions to physician patient privilege so evidence can be used in proceedings beyond
criminal to include grand jury, delinquency, domestic violence, civil fraud and specific violent
crimes prosecutions.

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2/6/2009