Sec. 1. 17-A MRSA §201, sub-§1, ¶¶B and C, as repealed and replaced by PL 1977, c. 510, §38, are amended to read:

B. He The person engages in conduct which that manifests a depraved indifference to the value of human life and which that in fact causes the death of another human being; or

C. He The person intentionally or knowingly causes another human being to commit suicide by the use of force, duress or deception.; or

Sec. 2. 17-A MRSA §201, sub-§1, ¶D is enacted to read:

D.__The person knowingly engages in a pattern or practice of assault or torture of a child under 16 years of age resulting in the death of that child.__For the purposes of this paragraph, a person engages in a pattern or practice of assault or torture if that person inflicts serious bodily injury to a child by 2 or more separate acts and one of those acts causes the death of the child.

SUMMARY

This bill amends the crime of murder to include causing the death of a child by engaging in a pattern or practice of assault or torture of the child.