Homicides or suicides, determination of domestic violence, factors to be considered
When police investigate a killing or suicide, they have to figure out if it was connected to domestic violence. They look at things like whether the victim and the person responsible lived together or were family, whether either person had asked a court for protection before, or whether anyone involved had a history of domestic violence. After deciding, police send a report to the Missouri State Highway Patrol with details like the ages and genders of those involved and how the two people were connected to each other.
455.543. s or suicides, of , factors to be considered — reports made to patrol, forms. — 1. In any incident investigated by a involving a homicide or suicide, the law enforcement agency shall make a determination as to whether the homicide or suicide is related to domestic violence.
2. In making such determination, the local law enforcement agency may consider a number of factors including, but not limited to, the following:
(1) If the relationship between the and the victim is or was that of a family or household member;
(2) Whether the victim or perpetrator had previously filed for an ;
(3) Whether any of the subjects involved in the incident had previously been investigated for incidents of domestic violence; and
(4) Any other evidence regarding the homicide or suicide that assists the agency in making its determination.
3. After making a determination as to whether the homicide or suicide is related to domestic violence, the law enforcement agency shall forward the required to the Missouri state highway patrol on a form or format approved by the patrol. The required information shall include the gender and age of the victim, the type of incident investigated, the of the incident and the relationship of the victim to the perpetrator. The state highway patrol shall develop a form for this purpose which shall be by the of public safety to all law agencies by October 1, 2000.
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Source & history notes
(L. 1998 H.B. 1918, A.L. 2000 H.B. 1677, et al., A.L. 2011 S.B. 320, A.L. 2016 S.B. 732 merged with S.B. 921)
Legal information, not legal advice. Always confirm with the official source at revisor.mo.gov.