48 U.S.C. § 1545 — Lease and sale of public property; convey-

Page 142 TITLE 48—TERRITORIES AND INSULAR POSSESSIONS § 1545 shall hereafter be made to the Secretary of the Interior, and the President is authorized to place all matters pertaining to the government of the Virgin Islands under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of the Interior, except matters re- lating to the judicial branch of said government which on July 22, 1954 are under the supervision of the Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts, and the matters relat- ing to the United States Attorney and the United States Marshal which on July 22, 1954 are under the supervision of the Attorney General. (July 22, 1954, ch. 558, § 30, 68 Stat. 509.) § 1545. Lease and sale of public property; convey- ance of title in certain lands to the govern- ment of Virgin Islands (a) The Secretary of the Interior shall be au- thorized to lease or to sell upon such terms as he may deem advantageous to the Government of the United States any property of the United States under his administrative supervision in the Virgin Islands not needed for public pur- poses. (b)(1) All right, title, and interest of the United States in the property placed under the control of the government of the Virgin Islands by section 1405c(a) of this title, not reserved to the United States by the Secretary of the Inte- rior within one hundred and twenty days after October 5, 1974, is hereby conveyed to such gov- ernment. The conveyance effected by the pre- ceding sentence shall not apply to that land and other property which on October 5, 1974, is ad- ministered by the Secretary of the Interior as part of the National Park System and such lands and other property shall be retained by the United States. (2) Subject to valid existing rights, title to all property in the Virgin Islands which may have been acquired by the United States from Den- mark under the Convention entered into August 16, 1916, not reserved or retained by the United States in accordance with the provisions of Pub- lic Law 93–435 (88 Stat. 1210) is hereby trans- ferred to the Virgin Islands government. (July 22, 1954, ch. 558, § 31, 68 Stat. 510; Pub. L. 93–435, § 3, Oct. 5, 1974, 88 Stat. 1211; Pub. L. 96–205, title IV, § 401(a), Mar. 12, 1980, 94 Stat. 88.) Editorial Notes REFERENCES IN TEXT Public Law 93–435 (88 Stat. 1210), referred to in subsec. (b)(2), is Pub. L. 93–435, Oct. 5, 1974, 88 Stat. 1210, which enacted sections 1705 to 1708 of this title, amended this section, and repealed sections 1701 to 1703 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Tables. AMENDMENTS 1980—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 96–205 designated existing provisions as par. (1) and added par. (2). 1974—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 93–435 substituted provi- sions conveying to the government of Virgin Islands title in lands now under its control with power to the Secretary of the Interior to reserve rights to the United States within 120 days after Oct. 5, 1974, with the exception of land and property being administered by the Secretary of the Interior as part of the National Park System, for provisions that the government of Virgin Islands shall continue to have control over all public property under its control on July 22, 1954. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries SUBMERGED LANDS, CONVEYANCE TO TERRITORY Conveyance of submerged lands to the government of the Virgin Islands, see section 1701 et seq. of this title. § 1546. Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated annu- ally by the Congress of the United States such sums as may be necessary and appropriate to carry out the provisions and purposes of this chapter. (July 22, 1954, ch. 558, § 35, 68 Stat. 510.) SUBCHAPTER II—BILL OF RIGHTS § 1561. Rights and prohibitions No law shall be enacted in the Virgin Islands which shall deprive any person of life, liberty, or property without due process of law or deny to any person therein equal protection of the laws. In all criminal prosecutions the accused shall enjoy the right to be represented by counsel for his defense, to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation, to have a copy thereof, to have a speedy, and public trial, to be con- fronted with the witnesses against him, and to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor. No person shall be held to answer for a crimi- nal offense without due process of law, and no person for the same offense shall be twice put in jeopardy of punishment, nor shall be compelled in any criminal cause to give evidence against himself; nor shall any person sit as judge or magistrate in any case in which he has been en- gaged as attorney or prosecutor. All persons shall be bailable by sufficient sure- ties in the case of criminal offenses, except for first-degree murder or any capital offense when the proof is evident or the presumption great. Excessive bail shall not be required, nor exces- sive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual pun- ishment inflicted. No law impairing the obligation of contracts shall be enacted. No person shall be imprisoned or shall suffer forced labor for debt. All persons shall have the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus and the same shall not be sus- pended except as herein expressly provided. No ex post facto law or bill of attainder shall be enacted. Private property shall not be taken for public use except upon payment of just compensation ascertained in the manner provided by law. The right to be secure against unreasonable searches and seizures shall not be violated. No warrant for arrest or search shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affir- mation, and particularly describing the place to be searched and the persons or things to be seized. Slavery shall not exist in the Virgin Islands. Involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted by a court of law, shall not exist in the Virgin Islands. No law shall be passed abridging the freedom of speech or of the press or the right of the peo-