Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 84 Part 1.djvu/710

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PUBLIC LAW 91-358-JULY 29, 1970

[84 STAT.

"(b) If the witness is summoned to attend and testify in the District of Columbia he shall be tendered the fees and allowances authorized for witnesses in criminal cases in United States district courts. A witness who has appeared in accordance with the provisions of the summons shall not be required to remain within the District of Columbia for a period longer than that specified in the certificate, unless otherwise ordered by the court. If the witness, after coming into the District of Columbia, fails without good cause to attend and testify as directed in the summons, he may be punished in the manner provided for the punishment of any other witness who disobeys a summons issued from the court in the District of Columbia where the prosecution has been instituted or the grand jury investigation has commenced or is about to commence. "§23-1504. Exemption from arrest "(a) Any person who comes into the District of Columbia in obedience to a summons directing him to attend and testify in the District of Columbia shall not, while in the District of Columbia, pursuant to the summons, be subject to arrest or the service of process, civil or criminal, in connection with any matter which arose before his entrance into the District of Columbia under the summons. "(b) Any person who is in the process of passing through the District of Columbia for the purpose of proceeding to or returning from a State which has summoned him to attend and testify shall not be subject to arrest or the service of process, civil or criminal, in connection with any matter which arose at some other time. "Chapter 17.—DEATH PENALTY "Secv "23-1701. Capital punishment. "23-1702. Provision for death chamber; appointment of executioner and assistants; fees. "23-1703. Sentences to be in writing and certified copy furnished. "23-1704. Who may be present at execution; fact of execution to be certified to clerlf of court. "23-1705. Place of execution.

"§23-1701. Capital punishment "The mode of capital punishment in the District of Columbia shall be by the process commonly known as electrocution. The punishment of death shall be inflicted by causing to pass through the body of the convict a current of electricity of sufficient intensity to cause death, and the application of the current shall be continued until the convict is dead. The time fixed for the execution of the sentence shall not be considered an essential part of the sentence, and if it be not executed at the time therein appointed, by reason of the pendency of an appeal or for other cause, the court may appoint another day for carrying the same into execution. "§23-1702. Provision for death chamber; appointment of executioner and assistants; fees "The Commissioner of the District of Columbia shall provide a death chamber and necessary apparatus for inflicting the death penalty by electrocution and designate an executioner and necessary assistants, not exceeding three in number. The District of Columbia Council shall fix the fees for the executioner and his assistants. "§23-1703. Sentences to be in writing and certified copy furnished "If a person is sentenced to death for a conviction in the District of Columbia the presiding judge shall sentence the convicted person to death according to the terms of this chapter, and make the sentence

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