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    18 USC Sec. 242                                              01/16/96
 
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    TITLE 18 - CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
    PART I - CRIMES
    CHAPTER 13 - CIVIL RIGHTS
 
-HEAD-
    Sec. 242. Deprivation of rights under color of law
 
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      Whoever, under color of any law, statute, ordinance, regulation,
    or custom, willfully subjects any person in any State, Territory,
    or District to the deprivation of any rights, privileges, or
    immunities secured or protected by the Constitution or laws of the
    United States, or to different punishments, pains, or penalties, on
    account of such person being an alien, or by reason of his color,
    or race, than are prescribed for the punishment of citizens, shall
    be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or
    both; and if bodily injury results from the acts committed in
    violation of this section or if such acts include the use,
    attempted use, or threatened use of a dangerous weapon, explosives,
    or fire, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more
    than ten years, or both; and if death results from the acts
    committed in violation of this section or if such acts include
    kidnapping or an attempt to kidnap, aggravated sexual abuse, or an
    attempt to commit aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to kill,
    shall be fined under this title, or imprisoned for any term of
    years or for life, or both, or may be sentenced to death.
 
-SOURCE-
    (June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 696; Apr. 11, 1968, Pub. L.
    90-284, title I, Sec. 103(b), 82 Stat. 75; Nov. 18, 1988, Pub. L.
    100-690, title VII, Sec. 7019, 102 Stat. 4396; Sept. 13, 1994, Pub.
    L. 103-322, title VI, Sec. 60006(b), title XXXII, Sec. 320103(b),
    320201(b), title XXXIII, Sec. 330016(1)(H), 108 Stat. 1970, 2109,
    2113, 2147.)
 
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                       HISTORICAL AND REVISION NOTES
      Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., Sec. 52 (Mar. 4, 1909, ch.
    321, Sec. 20, 35 Stat. 1092).
      Reference to persons causing or procuring was omitted as
    unnecessary in view of definition of ''principal'' in section 2 of
    this title.
      A minor change was made in phraseology.
                                 AMENDMENTS
      1994 - Pub. L. 103-322, Sec. 320201(b), substituted ''any person
    in any State'' for ''any inhabitant of any State'' and ''on account
    of such person'' for ''on account of such inhabitant''.
      Pub. L. 103-322, Sec. 320103(b)(1), 330016(1)(H), amended section
    identically, substituting ''shall be fined under this title'' for
    ''shall be fined not more than $1,000'' after ''citizens,''.
      Pub. L. 103-322, Sec. 320103(b)(2)-(5), substituted ''bodily
    injury results from the acts committed in violation of this section
    or if such acts include the use, attempted use, or threatened use
    of a dangerous weapon, explosives, or fire, shall be fined under
    this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both; and if
    death results from the acts committed in violation of this section
    or if such acts include kidnapping or an attempt to kidnap,
    aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to commit aggravated sexual
    abuse, or an attempt to kill, shall be fined under this title, or
    imprisoned for any term of years or for life, or both'' for
    ''bodily injury results shall be fined under this title or
    imprisoned not more than ten years, or both; and if death results
    shall be subject to imprisonment for any term of years or for
    life''.
      Pub. L. 103-322, Sec. 60006(b), inserted before period at end '',
    or may be sentenced to death''.
      1988 - Pub. L. 100-690 inserted ''and if bodily injury results
    shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten
    years, or both;'' after ''or both;''.
      1968 - Pub. L. 90-284 provided for imprisonment for any term of
    years or for life when death results.
 
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                              CROSS REFERENCES
      Civil action for deprivation of rights, see section 1983 of Title
    42, The Public Health and Welfare.
      Equal rights under the law, see section 1981 of Title 42.
      Minor offenses tried by United States magistrate judges as
    excluding offenses punishable under this section, see section 3401
    of this title.
      Proceedings in vindication of civil rights, see section 1988 of
    Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare.