HB 2144

Abstract

Felony homicide; certain drug offenses; penalty. Provides that a person is guilty of felony homicide, punishable byconfinement for not less than five nor more than 40 years, if theunderlying felonious act that resulted in the accidental killingof another person involved the manufacture, sale, gift, or distributionof a Schedule I or II controlled substance and (i) such other person'sdeath results from his use of the controlled substance and (ii) the controlled substance is the proximate cause of the person's death.The bill provides that the venue for prosecution is the locality wherethe felony violation occurred, where the use of the controlled substanceoccurred, or where the death occurred. The bill serves to overrulethe decision of the Court of Appeals of Virginia in Woodard v.Commonwealth, 61 Va. App., 567, 739 S.E.2d 220 (2013),aff'd, 287 Va. 276, 754 S.E.2d 309 (2014).