LANSING (WWJ) — Legislation that would formally ban necrophilia in Michigan has been unanimously passed by the State Senate.
The trio of bills — known as "Melody's Law" — would make sexual contact with dead bodies a 15-year felony.
The legislation, sponsored by state senator Veronica Klinefelt of Eastpointe, is backed by the family of Melody Rohrer, who was killed in September 2021 while jogging in Van Buren County. Her killed, Colby Martin, was later convicted of murdering Rohrer and hiding her body, according to Bridge Michigan.
Evidence showed Martin had sex with her dead body, but he was never charged with any type of sexual assault, as Michigan has no law specifically banning necrophilia.
Her husband, Rick Rohrer, told lawmakers at a Senate Committee hearing last week that his family "will never have closure," but a new law banning necrophilia "may make a difference to other victims' families in the future," according to the Bridge report.
Senate Bill 841 (S-1) would make it a misdemeanor punishable by up to two years in prison or a fine of $500 for engaging in sexual contact with a dead human body.
The bill would make it a felony for engaging in sexual penetration with a dead human body, punishable by up to 15 years in prison.
Senate Bill 842 would amend the sentencing guidelines in the Code of Criminal Procedure to include the felonies proposed by Senate Bill 841 (S-1).
The final piece of legislation, Senate Bill 843, would amend the Sex Offenders Registration to include a violation of sexual contact with a dead human body and sexual penetration with a dead human body proposed under Senate Bill 841 (S-1) as a tier I offense and a tier III offense, respectively.
There is no federal law against necrophilia and Michigan is one of a few states with no specific ban in place. There is, however, a law that makes disinterment, mutilation, defacement or improper removal of human remains a 10-year felony.
The legislation passed Tuesday now heads to the House and would need a signature from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to become law. It would take effect 90 days after being signed into law.
Last summer the Michigan legislature got rid of another outdated law, making child marriage illegal in the state.
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