Lawmakers pass 'Bianca's Law'; criminalizes sharing personal images of crime victims

Albany, NY — The New York State Assembly and the Senate passed a law that criminalizes sharing personal images of crime victims. The law awaits Gov. Kathy Hochul's signature.

The law is passed nearly three years after 17-year-old Bianca Devins of Utica was stabbed to death. She was murdered by Brandon Clark while attending a concert with him. Clark then took photographs of her deceased body and posted them online. The images then circulated on social media. They were also sent directly to members of Devins’ family. Brandon Clark was sentenced to 25 years to life for her murder.

The photo's publicity led to a lawsuit by the Devins family in July 2021.

The law establishes criminal and civil penalties for publicly sharing personal images of crime victims. It was passed by Assemblywoman Marianne Buttenshon, & Senators Joe Griffo and Dianne Savino.

“Almost three years ago, the life of 17-year-old Bianca Devins was cut short in a senseless act of violence,” said Buttenschon. “Her tragic death was exploited for likes and follows after her attacker posted pictures of her body to various social media sites. Nobody should ever have to endure a trauma like this. Those social media users who spread these types of photos and videos should face consequences. This bill creates consequences for this type of behavior, and it is very close to becoming law.”