Kamisha’s Law is named for a toddler murdered in Sisseton in 1992

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) introduced “Kamisha’s Law,” legislation that would eliminate the statute of limitations (SOL) for certain murder charges on federal and tribal lands. The bill is named for Kamisha, a toddler who was murdered in Sisseton in 1992. Her case went unsolved for over 30 years until new evidence was entered into the record.

“Prosecution for murder should not have an expiration date,” said Rounds. “In the case of Jay Adams Jr., new evidence was not brought forward until over three decades after Kamisha was murdered. While he was prosecuted under a plea deal, this legislation rights a wrong by eliminating the statute of limitations for second degree murder on federal lands. I appreciate Kamisha’s mother Christine and her husband Roger for working with us on this legislation, and I look forward to working with my Senate colleagues to honor Kamisha’s memory and get it across the finish line.”

“We sincerely appreciate Senator Mike Rounds, and his staff, for working diligently to affect change,” said Kamisha’s mother Christine and her husband Roger Irwin. “We would also like to acknowledge the tireless efforts of FBI Special Agent Daniel Orr and Assistant US Attorney Troy Morley. They are now truly a part of our extended family. Without their recommendations, guidance, and friendship, we would not be celebrating such a monumental change in federal law. We must never forget the ultimate sacrifice that Kamisha made to get us to where we are today. We believe Kamisha’s Law will positively impact unresolved cases of other families waiting for justice. It is also our hope that Kamisha’s Law will assist law enforcement and prosecutors with the time needed to properly investigate and prosecute similar crimes. Kamisha’s Law is an important step forward and our hope is for it to be a catalyst for positive change in other federal laws and regulations that are antiquated, insufficient, and/or deficient.”

Specifically, Kamisha’s Law will remove the statute of limitations for non-capital homicide offenses on federal or tribal land. This will include second-degree murder, as well as murder of federal officials. Congress has previously recognized the seriousness of such crimes, abolishing statutes of limitations for first-degree murder as well as child sexual abuse and abduction offenses in 2003 and 2006. Technological advancements in forensics make it increasingly possible to solve murder cases decades later.

BACKGROUND

In 1992, in Roberts County, South Dakota, a 23-month-old was found brutally murdered at home in her bed. For more than three decades, this crime remained unresolved until new witness testimony in 2023 led to a long-overdue prosecution of Jay Adams Jr.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Dakota hoped to pursue charges under the Major Crimes Act, which mandates federal jurisdiction over violent felonies committed in Indian Country. However, the applicable SOL for second-degree murder on federal lands had expired.

Adams elected to waive the SOL as part of a plea deal and in turn pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter. In June 2024, Adams was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release. Read more about this case HERE.

Click HERE for full bill text.