Sec. 1. 17-A MRSA §201, sub-§1, as repealed and replaced by PL 1977, c. 510, §38, is amended to read:

1. A person is guilty of murder if:

A. He The person intentionally or knowingly causes the death of another human being;

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

D.__The person having the care and custody of a child 4 years of age or younger assaults the child by means of force that to a reasonable person would be likely to produce great bodily injury and that results in the child's death.

SUMMARY

This bill makes an assault of a child 4 years of age or younger that results in the child's death punishable as murder. Current law requires a sentence of imprisonment no less than 25 years for a conviction of murder.