Rhode Island § 12-19-38 - Sentence and Execution

§ 12-19-38. Hate Crimes Sentencing Act.

(a) If any person has been convicted of a crime charged by complaint, information, or indictment in which he or she intentionally selected the person against whom the offense is committed or selected the property that is damaged or otherwise affected by the offense because of the actor’s hatred or animus toward the actual or perceived disability, religion, color, race, national origin or ancestry, sexual orientation, or gender of that person or the owner or occupant of that property, he or she shall be subject to the penalties provided in this section.

(b) Whenever it appears that a person may be subject to the Hate Crime Sentencing Act, the prosecuting agency, in no case later than the pretrial conference, shall file with the court a notice specifying that the defendant, upon conviction, is subject to the imposition of sentencing in accordance with this section.

(c) For misdemeanor offenses, upon any plea of guilty or nolo contendere or verdict or finding of guilty of the defendant, the district court shall conduct a sentencing hearing. At the hearing, the court shall permit the prosecuting agency and the defense to present additional evidence relevant to the determination of whether the defendant intentionally selected the person against whom the offense is committed, or selected the property that is damaged, or otherwise affected by the offense because of his or her hatred or animus toward the actual or perceived race, religion, color, disability, national origin or ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation of that person or the owner or occupant of that property. If the finder of fact at the hearing, or in the case of a plea of guilty or nolo contendere, the district court at sentencing, determines beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant’s actions were so motivated, he or she shall be sentenced to not less than thirty (30) days mandatory imprisonment, nor more than one year imprisonment for that crime: and for this penalty, he or she shall not be afforded the provisions of filing, suspension of sentence, or probation.

(d) For felony offenses and for misdemeanor offenses in which the defendant claims a jury trial either in the first instance or by appeal, upon any plea of guilt or nolo contendere or verdict or finding of guilt of the defendant, the court shall conduct a sentencing hearing. At the hearing, the court shall permit the prosecuting agency and the defense to present additional evidence to the jury relevant to the determination of whether the defendant intentionally selected the person against whom the offense is committed, or selected the property that is damaged, or otherwise affected by the offense because of his or her hatred or animus toward the actual or perceived race, religion, color, disability, national origin or ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation of that person or the owner or occupant of that property. If the jury at the hearing, or in the case of a plea of guilty or nolo contendere, the court at sentencing, determines beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant’s actions were so motivated, he or she shall be sentenced for a misdemeanor in accordance with subsection (c) of this section and for a felony by the court to an additional, consecutive term of imprisonment for not less than one year nor more than five (5) years, but in no case, more than double the original penalty for the crime.