House Bill 57

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 99-7-9, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO ALLOW A DEFENDANT TO REQUEST A PRELIMINARY HEARING PRIOR TO GRAND JURY INDICTMENT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. Section 99-7-9, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

99-7-9. All indictments and the report of the grand jury must be presented to the clerk of the circuit court by the foreman of the grand jury or by a member of such jury designated by the foreman, with the foreman's name endorsed thereon, accompanied by his affidavit that all indictments were concurred in by twelve (12) or more members of the jury and that at least fifteen (15) were present during all deliberations, and must be marked "filed," and such entry be dated and signed by the clerk. It shall not be required that the body of the grand jury be present and the roll called. An entry on the minutes of the court of the finding or presenting of an indictment shall not be necessary or made, but the endorsement by the foreman, together with the marking, dating, and signing by the clerk shall be the legal evidence of the finding and presenting to the court of the indictment. Unless the party indicted be in custody or on bond or recognizance entry of the indictment otherwise than by its number shall not be made at any time or for any purpose on the minutes or on any docket, nor shall any publicity be given to the fact of the existence of the indictment; but it shall never be made an objection to the indictment that it was improperly entered on the minutes or docket. A warrant for the person indicted shall immediately issue and be served on the person so indicted. After the arrest of the person indicted, and prior to arraignment, a copy of the indictment shall be served on such person.

Nothing contained herein, however, shall be construed to prohibit a prosecutor with knowledge of the status of a criminal charge from informing the victim, or, if the victim be deceased, a member of the immediate family of the victim, named in an indictment or in an application for an indictment as to the status of said charge at any time, consistent with established rules of court.

A defendant shall have the right to request a preliminary hearing prior to grand jury indictment whether the defendant is incarcerated or free on bail.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2015.