---
kind: "section"
citation: "18 U.S.C. § 1121"
title: "18"
title_heading: "Crimes and Criminal Procedure"
number: "1121"
heading: "Killing persons aiding Federal investigations or State correctional officers"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/18/1121"
units:
  - "Part I — Crimes"
  - "Chapter 51 — Homicide"
---

# §1121. Killing persons aiding Federal investigations or State correctional officers

- (a) [Whoever](/usc/18/921.md?p=a-1) intentionally kills—
  - (1) a [State](/usc/18/31.md?p=a-9) or local official, [law enforcement officer](/usc/18/232.md?p=7), or other [officer or employee](/usc/18/202.md?p=a) while working with Federal law enforcement officials in furtherance of a Federal criminal investigation—
    - (A) while the victim is engaged in the performance of official duties;
    - (B) because of the performance of the victim’s official duties; or
    - (C) because of the victim’s status as a public servant; or
  - (2) any [person](/usc/18/229F.md?p=5) assisting a Federal criminal investigation, while that assistance is being rendered and because of it,

  shall be sentenced according to the terms of [section 1111](/usc/18/1111.md), including by sentence of death or by imprisonment for life.

- (b)
  - (1) [Whoever](/usc/18/921.md?p=a-1), in a circumstance described in paragraph (3) of this subsection, while incarcerated, intentionally kills any [State](/usc/18/31.md?p=a-9) correctional [officer](/usc/18/202.md?p=c) engaged in, or on account of the performance of such [officer](/usc/18/202.md?p=c)’s official duties, shall be sentenced to a term of imprisonment which shall not be less than 20 years, and may be sentenced to life imprisonment or death.
  - (2) As used in this section, the term, “[State](/usc/18/31.md?p=a-9) correctional [officer](/usc/18/202.md?p=c)” includes any [officer or employee](/usc/18/202.md?p=a) of any [prison](/usc/18/2246.md?p=1), jail, or other detention facility, operated by, or under contract to, either a [State](/usc/18/31.md?p=a-9) or local governmental agency, whose job responsibilities include providing for the custody of incarcerated individuals.
  - (3) The circumstance referred to in [paragraph (1)](#b-1) is that—
    - (A) the correctional [officer](/usc/18/202.md?p=c) is engaged in transporting the incarcerated [person](/usc/18/229F.md?p=5) interstate; or
    - (B) the incarcerated [person](/usc/18/229F.md?p=5) is incarcerated pursuant to a conviction for an offense against the [United States](/usc/18/229F.md?p=9).
- (c) For the purposes of this section, the term “[State](/usc/18/31.md?p=a-9)” means a [State](/usc/18/31.md?p=a-9) of the [United States](/usc/18/229F.md?p=9), the District of Columbia, and any commonwealth, territory, or possession of the [United States](/usc/18/229F.md?p=9).

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 103–322, title VI, § 60015(a), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 1974; amended Pub. L. 104–294, title VI, § 607(k), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3512.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1996—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 104–294 added subsec. (c).