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Bill would make military murder federal crime

Murdering a service member would be a federal crime, punishable by death, under a bill introduced Thursday by Rep. Tim Murphy, R-Pa.

The “Capt. Scott Corwin Armed Forces Protection Act” would treat the murder of, attempted murder of or conspiracy to murder a member of the military as the same level of crime as the killing or attempted killing of a law enforcement officer.

Under current law, it is a federal crime to murder a member of the military only if the accused knows the victim is a service member. Murphy’s bill, HR 3884, would treat service members murdered when in civilian clothing or in settings where it is not clear they are in the military the same as undercover law enforcement officers, Murphy aides said.

The bill is Murphy’s response to the 2004 shooting death of Army Capt. Scott Corwin in Savannah, Ga., as Corwin was returning home in the historic district of that city. Corwin’s shooting is unsolved.

The Corwin family has formed a foundation in his name that is raising money for a soldier and family support center to be located near Brooke Army Medical Center at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, and is also establishing a scholarship in his name.