§ 540A. — Investigation of violent crimes against travelers.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 28USC540A]
TITLE 28--JUDICIARY AND JUDICIAL PROCEDURE
PART II--DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
CHAPTER 33--FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
Sec. 540A. Investigation of violent crimes against travelers
(a) In General.--At the request of an appropriate law enforcement
official of a State or political subdivision, the Attorney General and
Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation may assist in the
investigation of a felony crime of violence in violation of the law of
any State in which the victim appears to have been selected because he
or she is a traveler.
(b) Foreign Travelers.--In a case in which the traveler who is a
victim of a crime described in subsection (a) is from a foreign nation,
the Attorney General and Director of the Federal Bureau of
Investigation, and, when appropriate, the Secretary of State shall
assist the prosecuting and law enforcement officials of a State or
political subdivision to the fullest extent possible in securing from
abroad such evidence or other information as may be needed for the
effective investigation and prosecution of the crime.
(c) Definitions.--In this section--
(1) ``felony crime of violence'' means an offense punishable by
more than one year in prison that has as an element the use,
attempted use, or threatened use of physical force against the
person of another.
(2) ``State'' means a State, the District of Columbia, and any
commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United States.
(3) ``traveler'' means a victim of a crime of violence who is
not a resident of the State in which the crime of violence occurred.
(Added Pub. L. 103-322, title XXXII, Sec. 320916(a), Sept. 13, 1994, 108
Stat. 2129; amended Pub. L. 104-294, title VI, Sec. 604(b)(21), Oct. 11,
1996, 110 Stat. 3507.)
Amendments
1996--Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 104-294 designated three undesignated
pars. as pars. (1) to (3).
Effective Date of 1996 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 104-294 effective Sept. 13, 1994, see section
604(d) of Pub. L. 104-294, set out as a note under section 13 of Title
18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure.
