H-1270              _______________________________________________

                                           HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL NO. 4011

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              50th Legislature                              1987 Regular Session

By Representatives K. Wilson, Rasmussen, Valle, Madsen, Hargrove, P. King, May, Miller and Betrozoff

Read first time 2/9/87 and referred to Committee on Judiciary.

TO THE HONORABLE RONALD REAGAN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED:

          We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:

          WHEREAS, The rights of victims of crime should be guaranteed in the Constitution of the United States;

          NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that the Congress propose an amendment to the Sixth Amendment of the Constitution of the United States, pursuant to Article V thereof, to read as follows:

AMENDMENT VI. RIGHT TO SPEEDY TRIAL, WITNESSES, ETC.    In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the state and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the assistance of counsel for his defense.  Similarly, the victim in every criminal prosecution shall have the right to be present and to be heard at all critical stages of judicial proceedings.

          BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable Ronald Reagan, President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each member of Congress from the State of Washington.