2022 South Carolina Code of Laws
Title 17 - Criminal Procedures
Chapter 25 - Judgment And Execution
Section 17-25-45. Life sentence for person convicted for certain crimes.

(A) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, except in cases in which the death penalty is imposed, upon a conviction for a most serious offense as defined by this section, a person must be sentenced to a term of imprisonment for life without the possibility of parole if that person has either:

(1) one or more prior convictions for:

(a) a most serious offense; or

(b) a federal or out-of-state conviction for an offense that would be classified as a most serious offense under this section; or

(2) two or more prior convictions for:

(a) a serious offense; or

(b) a federal or out-of-state conviction for an offense that would be classified as a serious offense under this section.

(B) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, except in cases in which the death penalty is imposed, upon a conviction for a serious offense as defined by this section, a person must be sentenced to a term of imprisonment for life without the possibility of parole if that person has two or more prior convictions for:

(1) a serious offense;

(2) a most serious offense;

(3) a federal or out-of-state offense that would be classified as a serious offense or most serious offense under this section; or

(4) any combination of the offenses listed in items (1), (2), and (3) above.

(C) As used in this section:

(1) "Most serious offense" means:

16-1-40 Accessory, for any offense enumerated in this item 16-1-80 Attempt, for any offense enumerated in this item 16-3-10 Murder 16-3-29 Attempted Murder 16-3-50 Voluntary manslaughter 16-3-85(A)(1) Homicide by child abuse 16-3-85(A)(2) Aiding and abetting homicide by child abuse 16-3-210 Lynching, First degree 16-3-210(B) Assault and battery by mob, First degree 16-3-620 Assault and battery with intent to kill 16-3-652 Criminal sexual conduct, First degree 16-3-653 Criminal sexual conduct, Second degree 16-3-655 Criminal sexual conduct with minors, except where evidence presented at the criminal proceeding and the court, after the conviction, makes a specific finding on the record that the conviction obtained for this offense resulted from consensual sexual conduct where the victim was younger than the actor, as contained in Section 16-3-655(3) 16-3-656 Assault with intent to commit criminal sexual conduct, First and Second degree 16-3-910 Kidnapping 16-3-920 Conspiracy to commit kidnapping 16-3-1075 Carjacking 16-3-2020 Trafficking in persons 16-11-110(A) Arson, First degree 16-11-311 Burglary, First degree 16-11-330(A) Armed robbery 16-11-330(B) Attempted armed robbery 16-11-540 Damaging or destroying building, vehicle, or other property by means of explosive incendiary, death results 24-13-450 Taking of a hostage by an inmate 25-7-30 Giving information respecting national or state defense to foreign contacts during war 25-7-40 Gathering information for an enemy 43-35-85(F) Abuse or neglect of a vulnerable adult resulting in death 55-1-30(3) Unlawful removing or damaging of airport facility or equipment when death results 56-5-1030(B)(3) Interference with traffic-control devices or railroad signs or signals prohibited when death results from violation 58-17-4090 Obstruction of railroad, death results.

(2) "Serious offense" means:

(a) any offense which is punishable by a maximum term of imprisonment for thirty years or more which is not referenced in subsection (C)(1);

(b) those felonies enumerated as follows:

16-3-220 Lynching, Second degree 16-3-210(C) Assault and battery by mob, Second degree 16-3-600(B) Assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature 16-3-810 Engaging child for sexual performance 16-9-220 Acceptance of bribes by officers 16-9-290 Accepting bribes for purpose of procuring public office 16-11-110(B) Arson, Second degree 16-11-312(B) Burglary, Second degree 16-11-380(B) Theft of a person using an automated teller machine 16-13-210(1) Embezzlement of public funds 16-13-230(B)(3) Breach of trust with fraudulent intent 16-13-240(1) Obtaining signature or property by false pretenses 16-25-20(B) Domestic violence, First degree 16-25-65 Domestic violence of a high and aggravated nature 38-55-540(3) Insurance fraud 44-53-370(e) Trafficking in controlled substances 44-53-375(C) Trafficking in ice, crank, or crack cocaine 44-53-445(B)(1)&(2) Distribute, sell, manufacture, or possess with intent to distribute controlled substances within proximity of school 56-5-2945 Causing death by operating vehicle while under influence of drugs or alcohol; and

(c) the offenses enumerated below:

16-1-40 Accessory before the fact for any of the offenses listed in subitems (a) and (b) 16-1-80 Attempt to commit any of the offenses listed in subitems (a) and (b) 43-35-85(E) Abuse or neglect of a vulnerable adult resulting in great bodily injury.

(3) "Conviction" means any conviction, guilty plea, or plea of nolo contendere.

(D) Except as provided in this subsection or subsection (E), no person sentenced pursuant to this section shall be eligible for early release or discharge in any form, whether by parole, work release, release to ameliorate prison overcrowding, or any other early release program, nor shall they be eligible for earned work credits, education credits, good conduct credits, or any similar program for early release. A person is eligible for work release if the person is sentenced for voluntary manslaughter (Section 16-3-50), kidnapping (Section 16-3-910), carjacking (Section 16-3-1075), burglary in the second degree (Section 16-11-312(B)), armed robbery (Section 16-11-330(A)), or attempted armed robbery (Section 16-11-330(B)), the crime did not involve any criminal sexual conduct or an additional violent crime as defined in Section 16-1-60, and the person is within three years of release from imprisonment.

(E) For the purpose of this section only, a person sentenced pursuant to this section may be paroled if:

(1) the Department of Corrections requests the Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services to consider the person for parole; and

(2) the Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services determines that due to the person's health or age he is no longer a threat to society; and

(a) the person has served at least thirty years of the sentence imposed pursuant to this section and has reached at least sixty-five years of age; or

(b) the person has served at least twenty years of the sentence imposed pursuant to this section and has reached at least seventy years of age; or

(c) the person is afflicted with a terminal illness where life expectancy is one year or less; or

(d) the person can produce evidence comprising the most extraordinary circumstances.

(F) For the purpose of determining a prior or previous conviction under this section and Section 17-25-50, a prior or previous conviction shall mean the defendant has been convicted of a most serious or serious offense, as may be applicable, on a separate occasion, prior to the instant adjudication. There is no requirement that the sentence for the prior or previous conviction must have been served or completed before a sentence of life without parole can be imposed under this section.

(G) The decision to invoke sentencing under this section is in the discretion of the solicitor.

(H) Where the solicitor is required to seek or determines to seek sentencing of a defendant under this section, written notice must be given by the solicitor to the defendant and defendant's counsel not less than ten days before trial.

HISTORY: 1982 Act No. 358, Sections 1, 2; 1986 Act No. 462, Section 37; 1995 Act No. 83, Section 18; 1997 Act No. 113, Section 4; 1997 Act No. 136, Section 4; 1998 Act No. 402, Section 3; 2002 Act No. 176, Sections 1, 2, eff March 5, 2002; 2006 Act No. 342, Section 9, eff July 1, 2006; 2007 Act No. 72, Section 3, eff June 13, 2007; 2010 Act No. 273, Section 20, eff June 2, 2010; 2010 Act No. 289, Section 7, eff June 11, 2010; 2015 Act No. 7 (S.196), Section 6.C, eff April 2, 2015; 2015 Act No. 58 (S.3), Pt II, Section 7, eff June 4, 2015.

Code Commissioner's Note

Section 16-11-540, referenced in subsection (C)(1), was repealed by 2000 Act No. 237. Section 16-3-220, referenced in subsection (C)(2)(b), and Section 16-3-620, referenced in subsection (C)(1), were repealed by 2010 Act No. 273.

Editor's Note

2010 Act No. 273, Section 7.C, provides:

"Wherever in the 1976 Code of Laws reference is made to the common law offense of assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature, it means assault and battery with intent to kill, as contained in repealed Section 16-3-620, and, except for references in Section 16-1-60 and Section 17-25-45, wherever in the 1976 Code reference is made to assault and battery with intent to kill, it means attempted murder as defined in Section 16-3-29."

Effect of Amendment

2015 Act No. 7, Section 6.C, in (C)(1), substituted "16-3-2020" for 16-3-930".

2015 Act No. 58, Section 7, in (C)(2)(b), added 16-25-20(B), domestic violence, first degree, and 16-25-65, domestic violence of a high and aggravated nature.