A bill to amend title 23 of the District of Columbia Code with respect to the release of detention prior to trial of persons charged with certain violent or dangerous crimes.

(Measure passed House, amended)

Amends the District of Columbia Code to apply provisions relating to pretrial release of persons charged with capital crimes only to those defendants charged with first degree murder, forcible rape, or armed robbery.

Authorizes the detaining of such a defendant if after a pretrial detention hearing the judicial officer finds: (1) no one or more conditions of release will reasonably assure that the person will not flee or pose a danger to any other person or to the community; and (2) there is substantial probability that the person committed the offense for which he is charged.

Permits institution of pretrial detention hearings by a judicial officer on such officer's own initiative.

Authorizes a judicial officer to detain for up to ten days a person coming before him for bail determination charged with any offense if it appears that such person is presently, and was at the time of the offense charged, on bail or other release for a State or Federal felony.

Extends the maximum permissible detention period under the provision allowing pretrial detention for persons charged with an offense who are on parole or probation, pending notification to appropriate State or Federal court, probation, or parole officials to ten days.

Empowers a judicial officer to hold a pretrial detention hearing and detain an individual pending trial if such State or Federal officials fail to take custody of him during such ten day period.

Directs that such an individual who is subsequently convicted of the offense charged receive credit toward service of sentence for the time detained pursuant to this provision.

Extends to 90 days the period after which a defendant who is charged with a dangerous crime, a violent crime, or an obstruction of justice and is ordered detained pending trial must be released unless the trial is in progress or has been delayed at the request of the defendant.