Public Law 118 - 37 - An act to provide remote access to court proceedings for victims of the 1988 Bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland.

[118th Congress Public Law 37]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



[[Page 138 STAT. 11]]

*Public Law 118-37
118th Congress

                                 An Act


 
 To provide remote access to court proceedings for victims of the 1988 
Bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. <<NOTE: Jan. 26, 
                          2024 -  [S. 3250]>> 

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. REMOTE ACCESS TO COURT PROCEEDINGS FOR VICTIMS OF THE 
                              1988 BOMBING OF PAN AM FLIGHT 103 
                              OVER LOCKERBIE, SCOTLAND.

    (a) Definition of Victim of Crimes Associated With the Bombing of 
Pan Am Flight 103.--In this section:
            (1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), the term ``victim 
        of crimes associated with the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103'' 
        means any individual--
                    (A) who suffered direct or proximate harm as a 
                result of the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 that occurred 
                over Lockerbie, Scotland, on December 21, 1988, and was 
                present at or near the scene of the bombing when it 
                occurred, or immediately thereafter; or
                    (B) who is the spouse, legal guardian, parent, 
                child, brother, sister, next of kin, or other relative 
                of, or who is determined by the applicable district 
                court of the United States to be an individual who 
                possesses a relationship of similar significance to, an 
                individual described in subparagraph (A) or an 
                individual otherwise described in this subsection.
            (2) Limitation.--The term ``victim of crimes associated with 
        the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103'' does not include an 
        individual who participated or conspired in the crimes 
        associated with the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103.

    (b) Authorization.--
            (1) <<NOTE: Effective date. Abu Agila Mohammed Mas'ud 
        Kheir Al-Marimi.>>  In general.--On and after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, and notwithstanding any provision of the 
        Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure or other law or rule to the 
        contrary, in order to permit victims of crimes associated with 
        the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 to access court proceedings in 
        the criminal case against Abu Agila Mohammed Mas'ud Kheir Al-
        Marimi and against any co-conspirator subsequently charged and 
        prosecuted in a court of the United States for crimes related to 
        the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103, the district court of the 
        United States in such a case shall order that reasonable efforts 
        be made to make remote video and telephonic access to 
        proceedings in the case available to victims of crimes 
        associated with the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103.

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    * Note: The original slip law was printed without the public law and 
Congress numbers. They have been added as indicated above.

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[[Page 138 STAT. 12]]

            (2) No limit on location.--Remote video and telephonic 
        access to proceedings shall be made available under paragraph 
        (1) to a victim of crimes associated with the bombing of Pan Am 
        Flight 103 without regard to the location of the victim of 
        crimes associated with the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103.

    (c) District Court Discretion.--Nothing in this section shall be 
construed to eliminate or limit the discretion of a district court of 
the United States to control the manner, circumstances, or availability 
of remote video or telephonic transmissions where necessary to control 
the courtroom or protect the integrity of court proceedings or the 
safety of parties, witnesses, or other participants in the proceedings.

    Approved January 26, 2024.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--S. 3250:
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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD:
                                                        Vol. 169 (2023):
                                    Dec. 6, considered and passed 
                                        Senate.
                                                        Vol. 170 (2024):
                                    Jan. 16, 18, considered and passed 
                                        House.

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